Eyewear and lenses with multiple molded lens components

ABSTRACT

Certain embodiments disclosed herein include lenses for eyewear with a molded wafer and a molded clear resin lens component integrated onto a surface of the molded wafer. The molded wafer can include an optical filter that enhances one or more properties of filtered light. The optical filter can be, for example, a contrast-enhancing, color-enhancing, and/or chroma-enhancing filter. The clear resin lens component can be shaped such that the lenses have optical power. In some embodiments, the molded wafer is integrated onto a surface of a polarizing wafer.

BACKGROUND Field

This disclosure relates generally to eyewear and more particularly tolenses used in eyewear.

Description of Related Art

Lenses for eyewear can be made of various materials, including varietiesof glass or transparent plastic. Plastic lenses can be produced using avariety of processes, including, for example, casting, compressionmolding, and injection molding. Some types of eyewear include an opticalfilter that attenuates light in one or more spectral regions. Opticalfilters can be made from materials that absorb and/or reflect light,including dyes, dopants, other chromophores, coatings, and so forth.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments described herein have several features, no singleone of which is indispensable or solely responsible for their desirableattributes. Without limiting the scope of the claims, some of theadvantageous features will now be summarized.

Embodiments disclosed herein include lenses for eyewear with a moldedwafer and a molded clear resin lens component. The wafer and/or the lenscomponent can be made by injection molding, casting, compressionmolding, and other molding techniques, and comprised of materialsappropriate for such processes. For example, in various embodimentsdescribed herein, one or more components (e.g. the wafer) of the lenscan be formed by injection molding and used as an insert for injectioninsert molding with other components (e.g., the resin lens component) ofthe lens. In various embodiments, one or more components of the lens canbe formed by casting and used as an insert for cast molding with othercomponents of the lens. In various embodiments, one or more componentsof the lens can be formed by casting and used as an insert for injectionmolding with other components of the lens. In various embodiments, oneor more components of the lens can be formed by injection molding andused as an insert for cast molding with other components of the lens.

In various embodiments, the resin lens component can be integrated withor molded onto a surface (e.g., a concave surface) of the molded wafer.In various implementations, the molded wafer can include an opticalfilter that enhances one or more properties of filtered light. Theoptical filter can be, for example, a contrast-enhancing,color-enhancing, and/or chroma-enhancing filter. In suchimplementations, the molded wafer can be referred to as a chromaenhancement wafer or an optical filter wafer. The clear resin lenscomponent can be shaped such that the lens has optical power. In someembodiments, the molded wafer is integrated with a surface (e.g., aconcave surface) of a polarizing wafer to form an integrated functionalwafer system. The molded wafer can be integrated with the polarizingwafer by casting or injection molding, by using, for example, insertmolding methods in which the polarizing wafer serves as the insert. Theintegrated functional wafer system can be integrated with the resin lenscomponent via casting or injection molding, by using, for example,insert molding methods in which the integrated wafer serves as theinsert and the resin lens component is molded thereon. The resin lenscomponent can be molded thereon via casting or injection moldingmethods. In various implementations, the resin lens component can bereferred to as a base layer.

In certain embodiments, the resin lens component is not clear butinstead contains a portion of the optical filter. For example, one ormore chroma enhancing dyes can be included in the resin lens componentand/or in the molded wafer. In some embodiments comprising achroma-enhancing filter, all of the chroma enhancing dyes can beincluded in the molded wafer.

In various embodiments of the lenses, a lens wafer comprising an opticalfilter that enhances one or more properties of filtered light, such as,for example, a contrast-enhancing, color-enhancing, and/orchroma-enhancing filter can include cast materials comprising one ormore chroma-enhancing dyes or chromophores. The cast lens wafer can beintegrated with the resin lens component via casting or injectionmolding, by using, for example, insert molding methods in which the castlens wafer serves as the insert and the resin lens component is moldedthereon. The resin lens component can be molded thereon via casting orinjection molding methods.

In various embodiments of the lenses, a lens wafer comprising an opticalfilter that enhances one or more properties of filtered light, such as,for example, a contrast-enhancing, color-enhancing, and/orchroma-enhancing filter can include injection molded materialscomprising one or more chroma-enhancing dyes or chromophores. Theinjection molded lens wafer can be integrated with a resin lenscomponent via casting or injection molding, by using, for example,insert molding methods in which the injection molded lens wafer servesas the insert and the resin lens component is molded thereon. The resinlens component can be molded thereon via casting or injection moldingmethods.

In various embodiments, the cast or injection molded wafer includingsuch light enhancing optical filter (e.g., a CE wafer) can first beintegrated with a wafer including a polarizing component (i.e.,polarizing wafer) before integrating with resin lens component. Thepolarizing wafer can serve as the insert in a mold cavity receiving thematerials that are molded into the cast or injection molded CE wafer.The integrated CE wafer and polarizing wafer can be integrated with aresin lens component via casting or injection molding, by using, forexample, insert molding methods in which the integrated CE wafer andpolarizing wafer serves as the insert and the resin lens component ismolded thereon. The resin lens component can be molded thereon viacasting or injection molding methods.

One innovative aspect of the disclosure can be implemented in an eyewearcomprising a lens configured to provide nonzero prescription opticalpower between −25.0 Diopter and +25.0 Diopter. The lens comprises a baselayer having a convex surface and a concave surface shaped to providethe lens with the nonzero optical power and an optical filter waferhaving a thickness less than 1.1 mm. The optical filter wafer can beintegrated (e.g., monolithically integrated) with the convex surface ofthe base layer. The optical filter can have a blue light absorbance peakwith a spectral bandwidth. The blue light absorbance peak can include amaximum absorbance; a center wavelength located at a midpoint of thespectral bandwidth; and an integrated absorptance peak area within thespectral bandwidth.

In various implementations, the spectral bandwidth can be equal to thefull width of the blue light absorbance peak at 80% of the maximumabsorbance of the blue light absorbance peak. In some implementations,the spectral bandwidth can be equal to the full width of the blue lightabsorbance peak at 50%-90% of the maximum absorbance of the blue lightabsorbance peak. In various implementations, the full width of the bluelight absorbance peak at 50% of the maximum absorbance of the blue lightabsorbance peak can be greater than the full width of the blue lightabsorbance peak at 80% of the maximum absorbance of the blue lightabsorbance peak by an amount between 2-30 nm.

In various implementations, the center wavelength of the blue lightabsorbance peak can be between 440 nm and 500 nm. For example, thecenter wavelength of the blue light absorbance peak can be between 440nm and 450 nm, between 445 nm and between 455 nm, between 450 nm andbetween 460 nm, between 455 nm and between 465 nm, between 460 nm andbetween 470 nm, between 465 nm and between 475 nm, between 470 nm andbetween 480 nm, between 475 nm and between 485 nm, between 480 nm andbetween 490 nm, between 485 nm and between 485 nm and/or between 490 nmand between 500 nm.

In various implementations, an attenuation factor of the blue lightabsorbance peak can be greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than1.0, wherein the attenuation factor of the blue light absorbance peak isobtained by dividing an integrated absorptance peak area within thespectral bandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of the blue lightabsorbance peak.

Various implementations of the optical filter can have a yellow lightabsorbance peak with a spectral bandwidth. The yellow light absorbancepeak can include a maximum absorbance; a center wavelength located at amidpoint of the spectral bandwidth; and an integrated absorptance peakarea within the spectral bandwidth. The spectral bandwidth of the yellowlight absorbance peak can be equal to the full width of the yellow lightabsorbance peak at 80% of the maximum absorbance of the yellow lightabsorbance peak. In some implementations, the yellow light absorbancepeak can be equal to the full width of the yellow light absorbance peakat 50%-90% of the maximum absorbance of the yellow light absorbancepeak. In various implementations, the full width of the yellow lightabsorbance peak at 50% of the maximum absorbance of the yellow lightabsorbance peak can be greater than the full width of the yellow lightabsorbance peak at 80% of the maximum absorbance of the yellow lightabsorbance peak by an amount between 2-30 nm.

In various implementations, the center wavelength of the yellow lightabsorbance peak can be between 560 nm and 585 nm. For example, thecenter wavelength of the yellow light absorbance peak can be between 560nm and 570 nm, between 565 nm and 575 nm, between 570 nm and 580 nm,and/or between 575 nm and 585 nm. In some implementations, the centerwavelength of the yellow light absorbance peak can be between 560 nm and600 nm. In various implementations, the optical filter wafer can have ared light absorbance peak with a spectral bandwidth. A center wavelengthlocated at a midpoint of the spectral bandwidth of the red lightabsorbance peak can be between 630 nm and 680 nm.

In various implementations, an attenuation factor of the yellow lightabsorbance peak can be greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than1.0, wherein the attenuation factor of the yellow light absorbance peakis obtained by dividing an integrated absorptance peak area within thespectral bandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of the yellow lightabsorbance peak.

The optical filter can comprise one or organic dyes. The optical filtercan comprise one or more chroma enhancement dyes. For example, theoptical filter can comprise a violet, blue, green, yellow, or red chromaenhancement dye. In various implementations, the spectral bandwidth ofthe blue light absorbance peak can be greater than or equal to about 10nm. In various implementations, the spectral bandwidth of the blue lightcan be less than or equal to about 60 nm. The optical filter can beconfigured to increase the average chroma value of uniform intensitylight stimuli having a bandwidth of 30 nm transmitted through theoptical filter within a spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm by an amountgreater than or equal to 5% as compared to a neutral filter thatuniformly attenuates the same average percentage of light as the opticalfilter within the spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm. For example, theoptical filter can be configured to increase the average chroma value ofuniform intensity light stimuli having a bandwidth of 30 nm transmittedthrough the optical filter within a spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nmby an amount greater than or equal to 8%, 10%, 14%, 18%, 20% or 25% ascompared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates the same averagepercentage of light as the optical filter within the spectral range of440 nm to 510 nm.

Various implementations of the eyewear can include a polarizing wafercomprising a first insulating polymeric layer; a second insulatingpolymeric layer; and a polarizing film disposed between the firstinsulating polymeric layer and the second insulating polymeric layer.The first or the second insulating polymeric layer can comprise astretched polycarbonate sheet. The polarizing wafer can be disposedbetween the optical filter and the base layer. The optical filter wafercan have a thickness greater than 0.3 mm. In various implementations,the base layer can comprise a clear material.

One innovative aspect of the disclosure can be implemented in an eyewearcomprising a lens with optical power. The lens comprises a base layerhaving a concave boundary. The concave boundary of the base layer can besurfaced to provide the lens with a desired amount of optical power. Forexample, the lens can have an optical power between −25 Diopters and 25Diopters. The base layer can comprise a castable material. The lensfurther comprises a functional wafer system having a concave boundaryconformed to a convex boundary of the base layer. The functional wafersystem can have a thickness less than 1.7 mm. The functional wafersystem can be integrated (e.g., monolithically integrated) with the baselayer. In various implementations, the functional wafer can have athickness greater than 0.8 mm.

The functional wafer system can include a polarizer wafer; and a chromaenhancement wafer. The chroma enhancement wafer can comprise one or morechroma enhancement dyes disposed in a synthetic resinous material. Thechroma enhancement wafer can be configured to increase the averagechroma value of uniform intensity light stimuli having a bandwidth of 30nm transmitted through the chroma enhancement wafer within a spectralrange of 440 nm to 510 nm as compared to a neutral filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light as the chromaenhancement wafer within the spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm. Forexample, the chroma enhancement wafer can be configured to increase theaverage chroma value of uniform intensity light stimuli having abandwidth of 30 nm transmitted through the chroma enhancement waferwithin a spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm by an amount between about5%-35% as compared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates thesame average percentage of light as the chroma enhancement wafer withinthe spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm.

The polarizer wafer can comprise a first insulating polymeric layer; asecond insulating polymeric layer; and a polarizing film disposedbetween the first insulating polymeric layer and the second insulatingpolymeric layer. The first or the second insulating polymeric layer cancomprise a stretched polycarbonate sheet. The chroma enhancement wafercan be integrated (e.g., monolithically integrated) with the first orthe second insulating polymeric layer. The chroma enhancement wafer canhave a concave boundary conformed to the convex boundary of the baselayer and the polarizer wafer can have a concave boundary conformed to aconvex boundary of the chroma enhancement wafer.

Various implementations of the chroma enhancement wafer can have a bluelight absorbance peak with a spectral bandwidth. The blue lightabsorbance peak can include a maximum absorbance; a center wavelengthlocated at a midpoint of the spectral bandwidth; and an integratedabsorptance peak area within the spectral bandwidth. The spectralbandwidth is equal to the full width of the blue light absorbance peakat 80% of the maximum absorbance of the blue light absorbance peak. Thecenter wavelength of the blue light absorbance peak can be between 440nm and 500 nm. An attenuation factor of the blue light absorbance peakcan be greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than 1.0, wherein theattenuation factor of the blue light absorbance peak is obtained bydividing an integrated absorptance peak area within the spectralbandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of the blue light absorbance peak.In various implementations, the chroma enhancement wafer can have ayellow light absorbance peak with a spectral bandwidth and/or a redlight absorbance peak. A center wavelength located at a midpoint of thespectral bandwidth of the yellow light absorbance peak can be between560 nm and 590 nm. A center wavelength located at a midpoint of thespectral bandwidth of the red light absorbance peak can be between 630nm and 680 nm.

The chroma enhancement wafer can have a thickness greater than or equalto about 0.3 mm and less than or equal to about 1.1 mm. The polarizerwafer can have a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.6 mm andless than or equal to about 0.8 mm. The polarizer wafer and the chromaenhancement wafer can be integrated via insert molding or multiple-shotinjection molding process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments are depicted in the accompanying drawings forillustrative purposes, and should in no way be interpreted as limitingthe scope of the claims. In addition, various features of differentdisclosed embodiments can be combined to form additional embodiments,which are part of this disclosure. Any feature or structure can beremoved or omitted. Throughout the drawings, reference numbers can bereused to indicate correspondence between reference elements.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles incorporatinglenses with a chroma-enhancing optical filter. FIG. 1B is across-sectional view of one of the lenses shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles incorporatinglenses with a chroma-enhancing optical filter with a cutaway view of oneof the lenses.

FIGS. 1D-1 and 1D-2 show a perspective view of eyewear with a portioncut away to show an example configuration of lens elements.

FIG. 2 illustrates a lens with a molded wafer and a clear lens body.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example process for making the lens ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a lens with a polarizing wafer, a molded wafer, and aclear lens body.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example process for making the lens ofFIG. 3.

FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C illustrate various embodiments of a lens.

FIG. 6D illustrates a flowchart showing an example process formanufacturing various embodiments of lenses described herein.

FIG. 7A is a graph showing sensitivity curves for cone photoreceptorcells in the human eye.

FIG. 7B is a graph showing the 1931 CIE XYZ tristimulus functions.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the spectral absorptance profile of an opticalfilter.

FIG. 9A is a graph showing the chroma profile of a filter with theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 8 and of neutral filter.

FIG. 9B is a graph showing the percentage difference in chroma of afilter with the absorptance profile shown in FIG. 8 compared to aneutral filter.

FIG. 10 is a chromaticity diagram for an optical filter having theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the spectral absorptance profile of anotheroptical filter.

FIG. 12A is a graph showing the chroma profile of a filter with theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 11 and of a neutral filter.

FIG. 12B is a graph showing the percentage difference in chroma of afilter with the absorptance profile shown in FIG. 11 compared to aneutral filter.

FIG. 13 is a chromaticity diagram for an optical filter having theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing the spectral absorptance profile of anotheroptical filter.

FIG. 15A is a graph showing the chroma profile of a filter with theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 14 and of a neutral filter.

FIG. 15B is a graph showing the percentage difference in chroma of afilter with the absorptance profile shown in FIG. 14 compared to aneutral filter.

FIG. 16 is a chromaticity diagram for an optical filter having theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a graph showing the spectral absorptance profiles of threedifferent optical filters.

FIG. 18A is a graph showing the chroma profiles of three filters, eachfilter with one of the absorptance profiles shown in FIG. 17, and of aneutral filter.

FIG. 18B is a graph showing the percentage differences in chroma of thethree different filters with the absorptance profiles shown in FIG. 17compared to a neutral filter.

FIG. 19 is a graph showing the spectral absorptance profiles of threedifferent optical filters.

FIG. 20A is a graph showing the chroma profiles of three filters, eachfilter with one of the absorptance profiles shown in FIG. 19, and of aneutral filter.

FIG. 20B graph showing the percentage differences in chroma of the threedifferent filters with the absorptance profiles shown in FIG. 19compared to a neutral filter.

FIG. 21 is a graph showing the spectral absorptance profile of anotheroptical filter.

FIG. 22A is a graph showing the chroma profile of a filter with theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 21 and of a neutral filter.

FIG. 22B is a graph showing the percentage difference in chroma of afilter with the absorptance profile shown in FIG. 21 compared to aneutral filter.

FIG. 23 is a chromaticity diagram for an optical filter having theabsorptance profile shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is a graph showing the luminous efficiency profile of the humaneye.

FIG. 25 illustrates an example chroma enhancement window configurationfor various implementations of optical filters.

FIG. 26 illustrates an example chroma enhancement window configurationfor various implementations of optical filters.

FIG. 27 illustrates an example chroma enhancement window configurationfor various implementations of optical filters.

FIG. 28 illustrates an example chroma enhancement window configurationfor various implementations of optical filters.

FIG. 29 illustrates an example chroma enhancement window configurationfor various implementations of optical filters.

FIG. 30 illustrates an example chroma enhancement window configurationfor various implementations of optical filters.

FIGS. 31A, 31B and 31C illustrate spectral characteristics of animplementation of optical filter that can be included in differentembodiments of activity specific lenses.

FIGS. 32A, 32B and 32C illustrate spectral characteristics of animplementation of optical filter that can be included in differentembodiments of activity specific lenses.

FIGS. 33A, 33B and 33C illustrate spectral characteristics of animplementation of optical filter that can be included in differentembodiments of activity specific lenses.

FIGS. 34A, 34B and 34C illustrate spectral characteristics of animplementation of optical filter that can be included in differentembodiments of activity specific lenses.

FIGS. 35A, 35B and 35C illustrate spectral characteristics of animplementation of optical filter that can be included in differentembodiments of activity specific lenses.

FIGS. 36A and 36B illustrate graphs showing the percentage difference inchroma of different implementations of activity specific chromaenhancement filters having spectral characteristics as shown in FIGS.31A-35C compared to a neutral filter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

Although certain preferred embodiments and examples are disclosed below,inventive subject matter extends beyond the specifically disclosedembodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses, and tomodifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, the scope of the claimsappended hereto is not limited by any of the particular embodimentsdescribed below. For example, in any method or process disclosed herein,the acts or operations of the method or process can be performed in anysuitable sequence and are not necessarily limited to any particulardisclosed sequence. Various operations can be described as multiplediscrete operations in turn, in a manner that can be helpful inunderstanding certain embodiments; however, the order of descriptionshould not be construed to imply that these operations are orderdependent. Additionally, the structures described herein can be embodiedas integrated components or as separate components. For purposes ofcomparing various embodiments, certain aspects and advantages of theseembodiments are described. Not necessarily all such aspects oradvantages are achieved by any particular embodiment. Thus, for example,various embodiments can be carried out in a manner that achieves oroptimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein withoutnecessarily achieving other aspects or advantages as can also be taughtor suggested herein.

Objects that humans can visually observe in the environment typicallyemit, reflect, or transmit visible light from one or more surfaces. Thesurfaces can be considered an array of points that the human eye isunable to resolve any more finely. Each point on the surfaces does notemit, reflect, or transmit a single wavelength of light; rather, itemits, reflects, or transmits a broad spectrum of wavelengths that areinterpreted as a single color in human vision. Generally speaking, ifone were to observe the corresponding “single wavelength” of light forthat interpreted color (for example, a visual stimulus having a verynarrow spectral bandwidth, such as 1 nm), it would appear extremelyvivid when compared to a color interpreted from a broad spectrum ofobserved wavelengths.

An optical filter can be configured to remove the outer portions of abroad visual stimulus to make colors appear more vivid as perceived inhuman vision. The outer portions of a broad visual stimulus refer towavelengths that, when substantially, nearly completely, or completelyattenuated, decrease the bandwidth of the stimulus such that thevividness of the perceived color is increased. An optical filter foreyewear can be configured to substantially increase the colorfulness,clarity, and/or vividness of a scene. Such an optical filter for eyewearcan allow the wearer to view the scene in high definition color (HDcolor). In some embodiments, portions of a visual stimulus that are notsubstantially attenuated include at least the wavelengths for which conephotoreceptor cells in the human eye have the greatest sensitivity. Incertain embodiments, the bandwidth of the color stimulus when theoptical filter is applied includes at least the wavelengths for whichthe cone photoreceptor cells have the greatest sensitivity. In someembodiments, a person wearing a lens incorporating an optical filterdisclosed herein can perceive a substantial increase in the clarity of ascene. The increase in perceived clarity can result, for example, fromincreased contrast, increased chroma, or a combination of factors.

The vividness of interpreted colors is correlated with an attributeknown as the chroma value of a color. The chroma value is one of theattributes or coordinates of the CIE L*C*h* color space. Together withattributes known as hue and lightness, the chroma can be used to definecolors that are perceivable in human vision. It has been determined thatvisual acuity is positively correlated with the chroma values of colorsin an image. In other words, the visual acuity of an observer is greaterwhen viewing a scene with high chroma value colors than when viewing thesame scene with lower chroma value colors.

An optical filter can be configured to enhance the chroma profile of ascene when the scene is viewed through a lens that incorporates theoptical filter. The optical filter can be configured to increase ordecrease chroma in one or more chroma enhancement windows in order toachieve any desired effect. The chroma-enhancing optical filter can beconfigured to preferentially transmit or attenuate light in any desiredchroma enhancement windows. Any suitable process can be used todetermine the desired chroma enhancement windows. For example, thecolors predominantly reflected or emitted in a selected environment canbe measured, and a filter can be adapted to provide chroma enhancementin one or more spectral regions corresponding to the colors that arepredominantly reflected or emitted.

FIG. 1 illustrates an eyewear 100 includes lenses 102 a, 102 b having achroma-enhancing optical filter. The chroma-enhancing filter generallychanges the colorfulness of a scene viewed through one or more lenses102 a, 102 b, compared to a scene viewed through a lens with the sameluminous transmittance but a different spectral transmittance profile.The eyewear can be of any type, including general-purpose eyewear,special-purpose eyewear, sunglasses, driving glasses, sporting glasses,indoor eyewear, outdoor eyewear, vision-correcting eyewear,contrast-enhancing eyewear, eyewear designed for another purpose, oreyewear designed for a combination of purposes.

The lenses 102 a and 102 b can be corrective lenses or non-correctivelenses and can be made of any of a variety of optical materialsincluding glasses or plastics such as acrylics or polycarbonates. Thelenses can have various shapes. For example, the lenses 102 a, 102 b canbe flat, have 1 axis of curvature, 2 axes of curvature, or more than 2axes of curvature, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can be cylindrical,parabolic, spherical, flat, or elliptical, or any other shape such as ameniscus or catenoid. When worn, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can extendacross the wearer's normal straight ahead line of sight, and can extendsubstantially across the wearer's peripheral zones of vision. As usedherein, the wearer's normal line of sight shall refer to a lineprojecting straight ahead of the wearer's eye, with substantially noangular deviation in either the vertical or horizontal planes. In someembodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b extend across a portion of thewearer's normal straight ahead line of sight.

The outside surface of lenses 102 a or 102 b can conform to a shapehaving a smooth, continuous surface having a constant horizontal radius(sphere or cylinder) or progressive curve (ellipse, toroid or ovoid) orother aspheric shape in either the horizontal or vertical planes. Thegeometric shape of other embodiments can be generally cylindrical,having curvature in one axis and no curvature in a second axis. Thelenses 102 a, 102 b can have a curvature in one or more dimensions. Forexample, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can be curved along a horizontal axis.As another example, lenses 102 a, 102 b can be characterized in ahorizontal plane by a generally arcuate shape, extending from a medialedge throughout at least a portion of the wearer's range of vision to alateral edge. In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b aresubstantially linear (not curved) along a vertical axis. In someembodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b have a first radius of curvature inone region, a second radius of curvature in a second region, andtransition sites disposed on either side of the first and secondregions. The transition sites can be a coincidence point along thelenses 102 a, 102 b where the radius of curvature of the lenses 102 a,102 b transitions from the first to the second radius of curvature, andvice versa. In some embodiments, lenses 102 a, 102 b can have a thirdradius of curvature in a parallel direction, a perpendicular direction,or some other direction. In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 bcan lie on a common circle. The right and left lenses in a high-wrapeyeglass can be canted such that the medial edge of each lens will falloutside of the common circle and the lateral edges will fall inside ofthe common circle. Providing curvature in the lenses 102 a, 102 b canresult in various advantageous optical qualities for the wearer,including reducing the prismatic shift of light rays passing through thelenses 102 a, 102 b, and providing an optical correction.

A variety of lens configurations in both horizontal and vertical planesare possible. Thus, for example, either the outer or the inner or bothsurfaces of the lens 102 a or 102 b of some embodiments can generallyconform to a spherical shape or to a right circular cylinder.Alternatively either the outer or the inner or both surfaces of the lensmay conform to a frusto-conical shape, a toroid, an elliptic cylinder,an ellipsoid, an ellipsoid of revolution, other asphere or any of anumber of other three dimensional shapes. Regardless of the particularvertical or horizontal curvature of one surface, however, the othersurface may be chosen such as to minimize one or more of power, prism,and astigmatism of the lens in the mounted and as-worn orientation.

The lenses 102 a, 102 b can be linear (not curved) along a verticalplane (e.g., cylindrical or frusto-conical lens geometry). In someembodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can be aligned substantiallyparallel with the vertical axis such that the line of sight issubstantially normal to the anterior surface and the posterior surfaceof the lenses 102 a, 102 b. In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 bare angled downward such that a line normal to the lens is offset fromthe straight ahead normal line of sight by an angle ϕ. The angle ϕ ofoffset can be greater than about 0° and/or less than about 30°, orgreater than about 70° and/or less than about 20°, or about 15°,although other angles ϕ outside of these ranges may also be used.Various cylindrically shaped lenses may be used. The anterior surfaceand/or the posterior surface of the lenses 102 a, 102 b can conform tothe surface of a right circular cylinder such that the radius ofcurvature along the horizontal axis is substantially uniform. Anelliptical cylinder can be used to provide lenses that have non-uniformcurvature in the horizontal direction. For example, a lens may be morecurved near its lateral edge than its medial edge. In some embodiments,an oblique (non-right) cylinder can be used, for example, to provide alens that is angled in the vertical direction.

In some embodiments, the eyewear 100 can include canted lenses 102 a,102 b mounted in a position rotated laterally relative to conventionalcentrally oriented dual lens mountings. A canted lens may be conceivedas having an orientation, relative to the wearer's head, which would beachieved by starting with conventional dual lens eyewear havingcentrally oriented lenses and bending the frame inwardly at the templesto wrap around the side of the head. When the eyewear 100 is worn, alateral edge of the lens wraps significantly around and comes in closeproximity to the wearer's temple to provide significant lateral eyecoverage.

A degree of wrap may be desirable for aesthetic styling reasons, forlateral protection of the eyes from flying debris, or for interceptionof peripheral light. Wrap may be attained by utilizing lenses of tighthorizontal curvature (high base), such as cylindrical or sphericallenses, and/or by mounting each lens in a position which is cantedlaterally and rearwardly relative to centrally oriented dual lenses.Similarly, a high degree of rake or vertical tilting may be desirablefor aesthetic reasons and for intercepting light, wind, dust or otherdebris from below the wearer's eyes. In general, “rake” will beunderstood to describe the condition of a lens, in the as-wornorientation, for which the normal line of sight strikes a verticaltangent to the lens 102 a or 102 b at a non-perpendicular angle.

The lenses 102 a, 102 b can be provided with anterior and posteriorsurfaces and a thickness therebetween, which can be variable along thehorizontal direction, vertical direction, or combination of directions.In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can have a varyingthickness along the horizontal or vertical axis, or along some otherdirection. In some embodiments, the thickness of the lenses 102 a, 102 btapers smoothly, though not necessarily linearly, from a maximumthickness proximate a medial edge to a relatively lesser thickness at alateral edge. The lenses 102 a, 102 b can have a tapering thicknessalong the horizontal axis and can be decentered for optical correction.In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can have a thicknessconfigured to provide an optical correction. For example, the thicknessof the lenses 102 a, 102 b can taper from a thickest point at a centralpoint of the lenses 102 a, 102 b approaching lateral segments of thelenses 102 a, 102 b. In some embodiments, the average thickness of thelenses 102 a, 102 b in the lateral segments can be less than the averagethickness of the lenses 102 a, 102 b in the central zone. In someembodiments, the thickness of the lenses 102 a, 102 b in at least onepoint in the central zone can be greater than the thickness of thelenses 102 a, 102 b at any point within at least one of the lateralsegments.

In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can be finished, as opposedto semi-finished, with the lenses 102 a, 102 b being contoured to modifythe focal power. In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can besemi-finished so that the lenses 102 a, 102 b can be capable of beingmachined, at some time following manufacture, to modify their focalpower. In some embodiments, the lenses 102 a, 102 b can have opticalpower and can be prescription lenses configured to correct fornear-sighted or far-sighted vision. The lenses 102 a, 102 b can havecylindrical characteristics to correct for astigmatism.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1B, a lens 102 incorporatesseveral lens elements. The lens elements include a lens coating 202, afirst lens body element 204, a film layer 206, and a second lens bodyelement 208. Many variations in the configuration of the lens 102 arepossible. For example, the lens 102 can include a polarizing layer, oneor more adhesive layers, a photochromic layer, an antireflectioncoating, a mirror coating, an interference coating, a scratch resistantcoating, a hydrophobic coating, an anti-static coating, other lenselements, or a combination of lens components. If the lens 102 includesa photochromic layer, the photochromic material can include a neutraldensity photochromic or any other suitable photochromic. At least someof the lens components and/or materials can be selected such that theyhave a substantially neutral visible light spectral profile.Alternatively, the visible light spectral profiles can cooperate toachieve any desired lens chromaticity, a chroma-enhancing effect,another goal, or any combination of goals. The polarizing layer, thephotochromic layer, and/or other functional layers can be incorporatedinto the film layer 206, the lens coating 202, one or more of the lensbody elements 204, 208, or can be incorporated into additional lenselements. In some embodiments, a lens 102 incorporates fewer than allthe lens elements shown in FIG. 1B.

The lens can include a UV absorption layer or a layer that includes UVabsorption outside of the optical filter layer. Such a layer candecrease bleaching of the optical filter. In addition, UV absorbingagents can be disposed in any lens component or combination of lenscomponents.

The lens body elements 204, 208 can be made from glass, a polymericmaterial, a co-polymer, a doped material, another material, or acombination of materials. In some embodiments, one or more portions ofthe optical filter can be incorporated into the lens coating 202, intoone or more lens body elements 204, 208, into a film layer 206, into anadhesive layer, into a polarizing layer, into another lens element, orinto a combination of elements.

The lens body elements 204, 208 can be manufactured by any suitabletechnique, such as, for example, casting or injection molding. Injectionmolding can expose a lens to temperatures that degrade or decomposecertain dyes. Thus, when the optical filter is included in one or morelens body elements, a wider range of dyes can be selected for inclusionin the optical filter when the lens body elements are made by castingthan when the lens body is made by injection molding. Further, a widerrange of dyes or other optical filter structures can be available whenthe optical filter is implemented at least partially in a lens coating.

The lenses 102 a and 102 b have a filter that enhances chroma in awavelength-conversion window, a background-window, a spectral-widthwindow, another CEW, or any combination of CEWs. For some applications,the spectral-width window can be omitted. For other applications, anobject-specific spectral window is provided that can include thewavelength-conversion window. The lenses 102 a and 102 b can becorrective lenses or non-corrective lenses and can be made of any of avariety of optical materials including glasses or plastics such asacrylics or polycarbonates. The lenses can have various shapes,including plano-plano and meniscus shapes. In alternative eyewear, aframe is configured to retain a unitary lens that is placed in front ofboth eyes when the eyewear is worn. Goggles can also be provided thatinclude a unitary lens that is placed in front of both eyes when thegoggles are worn.

The lenses 102 a and 102 b can substantially attenuate light in thevisible spectral region. However, the light need not be attenuateduniformly or even generally evenly across the visible spectrum. Instead,the light that is attenuated can be tailored to achieve a specificchroma-enhancing profile or another goal. The lenses 102 a and 102 b canbe configured to attenuate light in spectral bands that are selectedsuch that the scene receives one or more of the improvements orcharacteristics disclosed herein. Such improvements or characteristicscan be selected to benefit the wearer during one or more particularactivities or in one or more specific environments.

In some embodiments, the lens 102 can comprise an injection molded,polymeric lens having a concave surface and a convex surface, and alaminate bonded or adhered to the injection molded, polymeric lens. Thelaminate can include a first polymeric layer, a base layer, and a secondpolymeric layer, the first polymeric layer being bonded to the convexsurface of the injection molded, polymeric lens. The polymeric lens caninclude a copolymer resin. In some embodiments, the first polymericlayer is directly bonded to the polymeric lens. In certain embodiments,the first polymeric layer is adhesively bonded to the polymeric lens.The base layer can at least partially incorporate an optical filterlayer. The lens can be corrective or non-corrective. As discussed above,the lens can have any suitable shape, including, for example,plano-plano, meniscus, cylindrical, spherical, another shape, or acombination of shapes.

FIG. 1C illustrates another implementation of eyewear 100 comprising anembodiment of a lens providing chroma enhancement. In the illustratedembodiment, the lens 102 includes a lens body 404 and a laminate 406.The laminate 406 and the lens body 404 are bonded or adhered together.In some embodiments, the laminate 406 and the lens body 404 can bepermanently attached to each other using heat or pressure sensitiveadhesives. In some embodiments, the laminate 406 and the lens body 404can be permanently attached to each other using welding methods. In someembodiments, the lens 102 includes a first lens coating 408 and not asecond lens coating 410. In certain embodiments, the lens 102 includesboth a first lens coating 408 and a second lens coating 410. In someembodiments, the lens 102 includes a second lens coating 410 and not afirst lens coating 408. In certain embodiments, the lens 102 includes nolens coating.

The laminate 406 can comprise a single layer or multiple layers. Thelaminate 406 can have one or more layers in single or multiple layerform that can be coated with a hard coating or a primer. For example,the laminate can be a single layer of polycarbonate, PET, polyethylene,acrylic, nylon, polyurethane, polyimide, another film material, or acombination of materials. As another example, the laminate can comprisemultiple layers of film, where each film layer comprises polycarbonate,PET, polyethylene, acrylic, nylon, polyurethane, polyimide, another filmmaterial, or a combination of materials.

The first lens coating 408 or second lens coating 410 can be atransition layer between the laminate 406 and the lens body 404. Thetransition layer can assist in matching the optical index of thelaminate 406 and the lens body 404. In some embodiments, the transitionlayer can improve adhesion between the layers or improve otherproperties of the lens.

In some embodiments of the lens 102 depicted in FIG. 1C, the opticalfilter is partially incorporated into the lens body 404. In certainembodiments, the optical filter can be partially incorporated into thelaminate 406. The laminate 406 includes one or more chroma enhancementdyes configured to attenuate visible light passing through the lens 102in one or more spectral bands. In certain embodiments, the laminate 406includes one or more blue chroma enhancement dyes. In some embodiments,the laminate 406 can incorporate one or more violet chroma enhancementdyes. In some embodiments, the laminate 406 can incorporate one or moreyellow chroma enhancement dyes. In some embodiments, the laminate 406can incorporate one or more red chroma enhancement dyes. In someembodiments, the laminate 406 can incorporate one or more green chromaenhancement dyes. It is to be understood that the laminate 406 canincorporate any permutation of violet, blue, green, yellow, and/or redchroma enhancement dyes to achieve one or more desired opticalproperties. In some embodiments, the lens body 404 can incorporate oneor more violet, blue, green, yellow, and/or red chroma enhancement dyes.

FIGS. 1D-1 and 1D-2, illustrate perspective views of anotherimplementation of eyewear 100 having first and second lenses 102 a and102 b, frame 104, and earstems 106 a and 106 b. The mounting frame 104can be configured to support the lenses 102 a, 102 b. The mounting frame104 can include orbitals that partially or completely surround thelenses 102 a, 102 b. Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1C and 1D-1, it should benoted that the particular mounting frame 104 is not essential to theembodiments disclosed herein. The frame 104 can be of varyingconfigurations and designs, and the illustrated embodiments shown inFIGS. 1A, 1C and 1D-1 are provided as examples only. As illustrated, theframe 104 may include a top frame portion and a pair of ear stems 106 a,106 b that are pivotably connected to opposing ends of the top frameportion. Further, the lenses 102 a, 102 b may be mounted to the frame104 with an upper edge of the lens 102 a or 102 b extending along orwithin a lens groove and being secured to the frame 104. For example,the upper edge of the lens 102 a or 102 b can be formed in a pattern,such as a jagged or non-linear edge, and apertures or other shapesaround which the frame 104 can be injection molded or fastened in orderto secure the lens 102 a or 102 b to the frame 104. Further, the lenses102 a, 102 b can be removably attachable to the frame 104 by means of aslot with inter-fitting projections or other attachment structure formedin the lenses 102 a, 102 b and/or the frame 104.

It is also contemplated that the lenses 102 a, 102 b can be securedalong a lower edge of the frame 104. Various other configurations canalso be utilized. Such configurations can include the direct attachmentof the ear stems 106 a, 106 b to the lenses 102 a, 102 b without anyframe, or other configurations that can reduce the overall weight, size,or profile of the eyeglasses. In addition, various materials can beutilized in the manufacture of the frame 104, such as metals,composites, or relatively rigid, molded thermoplastic materials whichare well known in the art, and which can be transparent or available ina variety of colors. Indeed, the mounting frame 104 can be fabricatedaccording to various configurations and designs as desired. In someembodiments, the frame 104 is configured to retain a unitary lens thatis placed in front of both eyes when the eyewear is worn. Goggles canalso be provided that include a unitary lens that is placed in front ofboth eyes when the goggles are worn.

As discussed above, the eyewear 100 can include a pair of earstems 106a, 106 b pivotably attached to the frame 104. In some embodiments, theearstems 106 a, 106 b attach directly to the lenses 102 a, 102 b. Theearstems 106 a, 106 b can be configured to support the eyewear 100 whenworn by a user. For example, the earstems 106 a, 106 b can be configuredto rest on the ears of the user. In some embodiments, the eyewear 100includes a flexible band used to secure the eyewear 100 in front of theuser's eyes in place of earstems 106 a, 106 b.

The lenses 102 a and 102 b of the implementation of eyewear 100illustrated in FIG. 1D-1 include laminates 710 a, 710 b, 710 c attachedto lens bodies 708 a, 708 b. In various implementations, the laminates710 a and 710 b can be configured to be removable such that a user,manufacturer, or retailer can apply, remove, or change the laminate 710a or 710 b after manufacture of the eyewear 100. The laminates 710 a or710 b, can be used to incorporate functionality into lenses 102 a, 102b. For example, laminate 710 b can include functional aspects that aredesirable, such as polarization, photochromism, electrochromism, colorenhancement, contrast enhancement, tinting, or chroma enhancement.

Implementations of chroma-enhancing eyewear 100 discussed above caninclude one or more lenses 102 a, 102 b having any desired number oflaminates, coatings, and other lens elements. One or more of the lenselements can incorporate functional layers that impart desiredfunctionality to the eyewear, including, for example an interferencestack, a flash mirror, photochromic layer(s), electrochromic layer(s),anti-reflective coating, anti-static coating, liquid containing layer,polarizing elements, chroma enhancing dyes, color enhancing elements,contrast enhancing elements, trichoic filters, or any combination ofthese. The functional layers can include sub-layers, which canindividually or in combination incorporate one or more functions intothe complete lens.

In some embodiments, a functional layer is configured to providevariable light attenuation. For example, a functional layer can includephotochromic compositions that darken in bright light and fade in lowerlight environments. As another example, chroma enhancing eyewear canincorporate an electrochromic functional layer, which can include adichroic dye guest-host device configured to provide variable lightattenuation. Implementations of chroma enhancing eyewear includinglaminates with different functional layers are also described in U.S.Publication No. 2013/0141693 which is incorporated by reference hereinfor all it discloses and is made part of this disclosure.

In various implementations, the lens 102 can include two or more moldedlens components. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a lens 102 with amolded wafer 110 and a molded base layer 120. The lens 102 can beincorporated into various implementations of eyewear 100 having one ormore lenses, such as, for example, the implementations of eyewear 100discussed above. As discussed above, the lens 102 can be a correctivelens that has optical power. For example, in various implementations,the lens 102 can be configured to provide refractive (e.g., spherical)optical power between ±25 Diopters. The lens 102 can also be configuredto provide astigmatic (e.g., cylindrical) power between ±10 Diopters. Invarious implementations, the lens 102 can be configured as a monofocal,a bifocal or a multifocal lens that provides spherical and/orcylindrical power. In various implementations, the lens 102 can beconfigured to provide optical magnification. In some embodiments, thelens 102 can be a non-corrective lens without optical power.

As discussed above, the lens 102 can be made of one or more at leastpartially transparent optical materials, including, for example,plastics such as acrylic or polycarbonate. In some embodiments, a frameretains a unitary lens that is placed in front of both eyes when theeyewear is worn. For example, goggles can include a unitary lens that isplaced in front of both eyes when the goggles are worn. In certainembodiments, the eyewear can be non-unitary. In embodiments includingnon-unitary eyewear, the frame retains a separate lens placed in frontof each eye when the eyewear is worn.

The wafer 110 can be made of polycarbonate (or PC), allyl diglycolcarbonate monomer (being sold under the brand name CR-39®), glass,nylon, polyurethane (e.g., materials sold under the brand name TRIVEX®or NXT®), polyethylene, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (or PET),biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate polyester film (or BoPET,with one such polyester film sold under the brand name MYLAR®), acrylic(polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA), a polymeric material, a co-polymer, adoped material, any other suitable material, or any combination ofmaterials. In certain embodiments, the wafer 110 is made from apolymeric material, such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer.

The wafer 110 can have any suitable shape, including, for example,plano-plano, meniscus, cylindrical, spherical, parabolic, aspherical,elliptical, flat, another shape, or a combination of shapes. The wafer110 can be symmetrical across a vertical axis of symmetry, symmetricalacross a horizontal axis of symmetry, symmetrical across another axis,or asymmetrical. In some embodiments, the front and back surfaces of thewafer 110 can conform to the surfaces of respective cylinders, spheres,or other curved shapes that have a common center point and differentradii. In some embodiments, the wafer 110 can have front and backsurfaces that conform to the surfaces of respective cylinders, spheres,or other curved shapes that have center points offset from each other,such that the thickness of the wafer 110 tapers from a thicker centralportion to thinner outer portions. The surfaces of the wafer 110 canconform to other shapes, as discussed herein, such as a sphere, toroid,ellipsoid, asphere, plano, frusto-conical, and the like.

In various implementations, the wafer 110 can be configured to providechroma enhancement. Accordingly, the wafer 110 can at least partially orcompletely incorporate an optical filter designed to enhance a sceneviewed through the lens 102. In various embodiments, the optical filtercan comprise materials that absorb and/or reflect light, including butnot limited to dyes, dopants, other chromophores, coatings, and soforth. The optical filter can provide optical properties to the lens 102such as color enhancement, chroma enhancement, and/or any other type ofoptical filter described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No.2013/0141693 (OAKLY1.514A), the entire contents of which areincorporated by reference herein and made part of this specification. Incertain embodiments, the optical filter properties can be partiallyincorporated into the wafer 110 and partially incorporated into othercomponents of the lens 102. Other components of the lens 102 caninclude, for example, a lens coating, the base layer 120, a polarizingwafer, a combination of components, and so forth.

The wafer 110 can have a thickness that is greater than or equal toabout 0.3 mm and/or less than or equal to about 1.1 mm, greater than orequal to about 0.4 mm and/or less than or equal to about 1.0 mm, greaterthan or equal to about 0.5 mm and/or less than or equal to about 0.9 mm,greater than or equal to about 0.6 mm and/or less than or equal to about0.8 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.7 mm and/or less than or equalto about 0.8 mm. In certain embodiments, the thickness of the wafer 110can be substantially uniform. For example, the thickness can beconsidered substantially uniform when the lens wafer 110 does notcontribute to the optical power of the lens 100 and/or when thethickness varies by less than or equal to about 5% from the averagethickness of the component.

Various embodiments of the lens 102 can comprise an optical filterincluding a variable filter component and a static filter component. Forexample, the wafer 110 can be configured as a variable and/or staticfilter. As another example, the lens 102 can comprise a functional layerconfigured as a variable and/or static filter. In various embodiments,the variable filter component can be referred to as a dynamic filtercomponent or as a variable attenuation filter. In various embodiments,the static filter component can be referred to as a fixed filtercomponent or as a static/fixed attenuation filter. The optical filter isconfigured to switch between two or more filter states. For example, insome implementations, the optical filter is configured to switch betweena first state and a second state. In some embodiments, the opticalfilter is configured to switch to additional states (e.g., a third stateor a fourth state), such that the filter has three or more than threefilter states. The first state can have a first luminance transmittanceand the second state can have a second luminance transmittance. As usedherein, luminous transmittance can be measured with respect to astandard daylight illuminant, such as CIE illuminant D65. In variousembodiments, the first luminance transmittance can be greater than orequal to the second luminance transmittance. For example, the firstluminance transmittance can be lower than the second luminancetransmittance such that the lens is in a dark state when the opticalfilter is in the first state and the lens in a faded state when theoptical filter is in the second filter state. In various embodiments,the first luminance transmittance can be less than about 30%. Forexample, the first luminance transmittance can be less than about 5%,less than about 8%, less than about 10%, less than about 12%, less thanabout 15%, less than about 18%, less than about 20% or less than about25%. In various embodiments, the second luminance transmittance can begreater than about 10%. For example, the second luminance transmittancecan be greater than about 15%, greater than about 20%, greater thanabout 25%, greater than about 30%, greater than about 35%, greater thanabout 40%, greater than about 50%, greater than about 60%, greater thanabout 70%, greater than about 80%, greater than about 85% or greaterthan about 90%. In some embodiments, the variable filter component ofthe optical filter can have filter states that shift between any of theluminance transmittance values identified in the preceding sentence.

In some embodiments, the lens 102 can be configured to switch betweenthe first and the second state based on an input from a user wearing theeyewear 100 comprising the lens 102, a signal from a control circuit oran input from a sensor. In some embodiments, the lens 102 can beconfigured to switch between the first and the second state in responseto an electrical signal. In some embodiments, the lens 102 can beconfigured to switch between the first and the second state in responseto exposure to electromagnetic radiation. In different embodiments,other methods of switching between the first and the second state can beemployed, such as automatic switching. The lens 102 can be configuredsuch that the lens can maintain the desired state (first filter state orsecond filter state) without requiring energy.

In various embodiments, the variable filter component can provide thefunctionality of switching between the first and second state. Invarious embodiments, the static filter component can provide chromaenhancement. In some embodiments the variable filter component caninclude one or more chroma enhancement materials such that the staticfilter component is incorporated in the variable filter component. Thevariable attenuation filter and the static attenuation filter can be apart of the lens wafer 110 discussed above. In some embodiments only thestatic attenuation filter can be a part of the lens wafer 110 discussedabove. In such embodiments, the variable attenuation filter can beembodied in other lens components discussed above. In variousembodiments, the variable filter component can be disposed with respectto the static filter component such that the variable filter componentand the static filter component are directly adjacent each other. Inother embodiments, the variable filter component and the static filtercomponent can include interleaving layers between them.

Various embodiments of the variable filter component can includeelectrochromic material, photochromic material or a combination ofelectrochromic and photochromic material. In various embodiments, thestatic filter component can include chroma enhancing material (e.g.,dyes, rare earth oxides, etc.).

As discussed above, various embodiments of the wafer 110 can beconfigured as a variable and/or fixed attenuation filter as discussed inInternational Application No. PCT/US2015/060103, filed on Nov. 11, 2015,which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Variousembodiments of the variable and/or fixed attenuation filter can beembodied in one or more lens components having a thickness that iswithin any of the one or more ranges discussed herein. For example,various embodiments of the variable and/or fixed attenuation filter canbe embodied in one or more than one lens wafers having a thicknessgreater than or equal to about 0.3 mm and/or less than or equal to about1.1 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.4 mm and/or less than or equalto about 1.0 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.5 mm and/or less thanor equal to about 0.9 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.6 mm and/orless than or equal to about 0.8 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.7mm and/or less than or equal to about 0.8 mm, or having a thicknesswithin a range between any two of the thickness values identified inthis paragraph, wherein the range can include the endpoints or excludethe endpoints.

As discussed above, the wafer 110 can include one or more chromaenhancement dyes configured to provide chroma enhancement. For example,the wafer 110 configured as a variable and/or fixed attenuation filtercan be configured to provide chroma enhancement. Various embodiments ofthe wafer 110 configured as a variable and/or fixed attenuation filtercan have spectral characteristics substantially similar to the spectralcharacteristics that are depicted in and described with respect to FIGS.31A-35C below to provide chroma enhancement for certain specificactivities. In implementations of the wafer 110 that include one or morechroma enhancement dyes, the thickness of the wafer 110 depends at leastpartially on the strength, and/or concentration of the one or morechroma enhancement dyes that are incorporated into the wafer 110. Thestrength, and/or concentration of the one or more chroma enhancementdyes can be selected to provide a desired chroma enhancement effect. Forexample, in various implementations, the strength, and/or concentrationof the one or more chroma enhancement dyes can be reduced if a smallamount of attenuation (or chroma enhancement) in a certain spectralbandwidth is desired. As another example, in various implementations,the strength, and/or concentration of the one or more chroma enhancementdyes can be increased if a large amount of attenuation (or chromaenhancement) in a certain spectral bandwidth is desired. Implementationsof the wafer 110 that are configured to provide a small amount ofattenuation (or chroma enhancement) may be thinner as compared toimplementations of the wafer 110 that are configured to provide a largeamount of attenuation (or chroma enhancement).

The thickness of the wafer 110 can also depend on the solubility of theone or more chroma enhancement dyes in the synthetic material (e.g.,polymeric material, resin, etc.) that is selected to form the wafer 110.For example, if the solubility of the one or more chroma enhancementdyes in the synthetic material that wafer 110 is selected to form thewafer 110 is low then a larger amount of the synthetic material may berequired to achieve a desired strength, and/or concentration of the oneor more chroma enhancement dyes which can result in a thicker wafer 110.As another example, if the solubility of the one or more chromaenhancement dyes in the synthetic material that wafer 110 is selected toform the wafer 110 is high then a smaller amount of the syntheticmaterial may be required to achieve a desired strength, and/orconcentration of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes which canresult in a thinner wafer 110.

Table A provides example solubility characteristics of various examplechroma enhancement dyes from Exciton.

TABLE A Example Example center λ melting pt. Example solubilitiesExample strength Example dyes (nm) (° C.) in solvents (gm/L) (L/gm · cm)Violet chroma 407 ± 1 >300 24 (chloroform) >490 (methylene enhancementdye 3.5 (toluene) chloride at 407 nm 4.8 (cyclohexanone) peak) Bluechroma 473 ± 2 >200 9 (cyclopentanone) 175 (methylene enhancement dye 16(methylene chloride) chloride) 25 (chloroform) 14 (toluene) Green chroma561 ± 2 >300 1.1 (methylene 44 (methylene enhancement dye chloride)chloride) 0.6 (toluene) 2.6 (chloroform) 0.3 (cyclohexane) 0.15 (methylethyl ketone) Yellow chroma 574 ± 2 >300 28 (methylene chloride) 183(methylene enhancement dye 7.5 (hexane) chloride) 2.8 (toluene) 0.467(acetone) Red chroma 660 ± 2 >300 Highest in chlorinated >320(chloroform) enhancement dye solvents, e.g., chloroform

In some embodiments, the lens 102 includes a molded, polymeric baselayer 120 having a concave surface and a convex surface. The base layer120 can be made of polycarbonate (or PC), allyl diglycol carbonatemonomer (being sold under the brand name CR-39®), glass, nylon,polyurethane (e.g., materials sold under the brand name TRIVEX® orNXT®), polyethylene, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (or PET),biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate polyester film (or BoPET,with one such polyester film sold under the brand name MYLAR®), acrylic(polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA), a polymeric material, a co-polymer, adoped material, any other suitable material, or any combination ofmaterials. In certain embodiments, the base layer 120 is made from apolymeric material, such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer.

The base layer 120 can be symmetrical across a vertical axis ofsymmetry, symmetrical across a horizontal axis of symmetry, symmetricalacross another axis, or asymmetrical. In some embodiments, the front andback surfaces of the base layer 120 can conform to the surfaces ofrespective cylinders, spheres, or other curved shapes that have a commoncenter point and different radii. In some embodiments, the base layer120 can have a front and back surfaces that conform to the surfaces ofrespective cylinders that have center points offset from each other,such that the thickness of the base layer 120 tapers from a thickercentral portion to thinner edge portions. The surfaces of the base layer120 can conform to other shapes, as discussed herein, such as a sphere,toroid, ellipsoid, asphere, plano, frusto-conical, and the like.

In some embodiments, a process comprising an insert molding process,2-shot injection molding process, multi-shot injection molding processor casting can be used to make a lens 102 having a lens wafer 110 and abase layer 120. In certain embodiments, a convex or front-side boundaryof the base layer 120 can conform to a wafer 110 having a shapedescribed herein. In certain embodiments, the base layer 120 is moldedto a convex surface or back-side boundary of the wafer 110.

The base layer 120 can be contoured during initial formation or afterthe molding process to have an optical magnification characteristic thatmodifies the focal power of the lens 102. In some embodiments, the baselayer 120 is surfaced (e.g., machined, ground, and/or polished) afterinitial formation to modify the optical or focal power of the lens 102.The base layer 120 can provide a substantial amount of the optical powerand magnification characteristics to the lens 102. In some embodiments,the base layer 120 provides the majority of the optical power andmagnification characteristics. Apportioning the majority, substantiallyall, or all of the optical power and magnification to the base layer 120can permit selection of base layer 120 materials and base layer 120formation techniques that provide improved lens 102 optical power andmagnification characteristics, without adversely affecting selection ofwafer 110 materials and formation techniques. Further, the configurationof an optical filter present in the wafer 110 can be independent of theoptical power selected for the lens 102. For example, the clear baselayer 120 can be surfaced without changing the thickness of the lenscomponent that contains the optical filter chromophores.

The base layer 120 can be casted or injection molded, and additionalprocesses can be used to form the shape of the base layer 120, such asthermoforming or machining. In some embodiments, the base layer 120 canbe casted or injection molded and includes a relatively rigid andoptically acceptable material such as polycarbonate. The curvature ofthe base layer 120 can be incorporated into a molded lens blank. A lensblank can include the desired curvature and taper in its as-moldedcondition. One or two or more lens bodies of the desired shape may thenbe cut from the optically appropriate portion of the lens blank as isunderstood in the art.

The thickness of the base layer 120 can be selected to provide the lenswith a desired level of optical power. In some embodiments, a concaveside (or back side) of the base layer 120 can be surfaced to produce adesired curvature and/or magnification.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example process 200 for making the lens102 depicted in FIG. 2. At 230, a molded wafer is formed. The moldedwafer can be formed by a variety of manufacturing methods including butnot limited to injection molding and/or casting. The wafer can includean optical filter comprising one or more dyes, dopants, otherchromophores or coatings. Accordingly, the wafer can be called a chromaenhancement or CE wafer (and can include the lens wafer 110, forexample). In various implementations the optical filter can comprise oneor more chroma enhancement dyes described below and in U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 2013/0141693 which is incorporated byreference herein for all it discloses and is made part of thisdisclosure. In some implementations, the one or more dyes, dopants orother chromophores could be added to a molten resin before the resin isinjected to form the wafer. In some implementations, the one or moredyes, dopants or other chromophores could be added after molding thelens wafer. In some implementations, the one or more dyes, dopants orother chromophores can be compounded into a raw resin material (e.g., athermoplastic resin, pellets, etc). The raw resin material can be meltedto form a molten resin which is then molded to form the lens wafer. Insome implementations, the resin-dye mixture can be extruded andpelletized prior to molding into a lens wafer. When the CE wafer ismanufactured using a casting process, the one or more dyes, dopants orother chromophores can be incorporated into the casting resin systemprior to the casting process. For example, the one or more dyes, dopantsor other chromophores can be included in the carrier solvent of theuncured resin and/or in other resin component, such as, for example, themonomer that forms the resin. At 240, the CE wafer is placed in a moldcavity with an outer surface of the CE wafer facing an interior wall ofthe cavity. In various implementations, the outer surface of the CEwafer can be curved (e.g. a convex surface). At 250, the mold cavity isclosed, and molten resin material is injected through a runner and gateinto the mold cavity to back-mold on an inside surface of the CE wafer.In various implementations, the inside surface of the CE wafer can becurved (e.g., a concave surface). The combined action of hightemperature from the molten resin and high pressure from an injectionscrew can conform the CE wafer to the interior wall of the mold and bondthe CE wafer and the resin material of the lens body (for example, thelens body 120). After the resin melt is hardened, a desired lens can beachieved having the thin CE wafer and the clear lens body. It is notedthat curvature of the outer and inner surfaces of the CE wafer is not aresult of the molding process. For example, the CE wafer can have adesired shape and/or curvature prior to being placed in the mold cavityat block 240. This process is significantly different from a moldingproves in which a sheet that is flat or has less curvature than desiredis placed into the mold cavity and the heat and pressure of the moldingprocess can cause the sheet to conform to a desired shape and/orcurvature.

FIG. 4 illustrates an implementation of a lens 102 comprising with apolarizing wafer 330, a molded wafer 310, and a clear base layer 320.The molded wafer 310 can have generally similar physical, optical andchemical properties as the molded wafer 110 described above withreference to FIG. 2. The clear base layer 320 can also have generallysimilar physical, optical and chemical properties as the base layer 120described with reference to FIG. 2.

The polarizing wafer 330 can be integrated with the outer (e.g., thefront or the convex) surface of the molded wafer 310, for example, byinsert molding. An implementation of a method of integrating thepolarizing wafer 330 with the wafer 310 includes inserting thepolarizing wafer 330 into a mold cavity and molding the wafer 310 ontothe surface (e.g., concave surface) of the polarizing wafer 330. Theresulting CE wafer 310 and polarizing wafer 330 combination (alsoreferred to as functional wafer system in some implementations) can havea thickness that is greater than or equal to about 0.8 mm and/or lessthan or equal to about 1.8 mm. For example, the thickness of thefunctional wafer system can be greater than or equal to 0.8 mm and lessthan or equal to 1.7 mm, greater than or equal to 0.9 mm and less thanor equal to 1.6 mm, greater than or equal to 1.0 mm and less than orequal to 1.5 mm, less than or equal to 1.4 mm, greater than or equal to1.1 mm and/or less than or equal to 1.2 mm. The thickness of thefunctional wafer system can be increased beyond 1.8 mm in someembodiments. For example, in some implementations, the functional wafersystem can be up to 2.0 mm thick. However, a thicker functional wafersystem can have a reduced range for prescription optical power. Forexample, a thicker functional wafer system can have a reduced range forthe negative prescription power. Moreover, a thicker functional wafersystem may not be aesthetically pleasing. Nevertheless, thickerfunctional wafer system may be used in applications that require littleto no prescription power and/or are not cosmetic.

Various embodiments of the functional wafer can be configured as avariable and/or fixed attenuation filter as discussed in InternationalApplication No. PCT/US2015/060103, filed on Nov. 11, 2015, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Various embodiments ofthe variable and/or fixed attenuation filter can be embodied in one ormore lens components having a thickness that is within any of the one ormore ranges discussed herein. For example, various embodiments of thevariable and/or fixed attenuation filter can be embodied in one or morethan one lens wafers having a thickness greater than or equal to about0.8 mm and/or less than or equal to about 1.8 mm. For example, thethickness of the functional wafer system can be greater than or equal to0.8 mm and less than or equal to 1.7 mm, greater than or equal to 0.9 mmand less than or equal to 1.6 mm, greater than or equal to 1.0 mm andless than or equal to 1.5 mm, less than or equal to 1.4 mm, greater thanor equal to 1.1 mm and/or less than or equal to 1.2 mm. As anotherexample, various embodiments of the variable and/or fixed attenuationfilter can have a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.3 mm and/orless than or equal to about 1.1 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.4mm and/or less than or equal to about 1.0 mm, greater than or equal toabout 0.5 mm and/or less than or equal to about 0.9 mm, greater than orequal to about 0.6 mm and/or less than or equal to about 0.8 mm, greaterthan or equal to about 0.7 mm and/or less than or equal to about 0.8 mm,or having a thickness within a range between any two of the thicknessvalues identified in this paragraph, wherein the range can include theendpoints or exclude the endpoints.

In some embodiments, the polarizing wafer 330 has a thickness that isless than or equal to about 0.8 mm and/or greater than or equal to about0.6 mm. In certain embodiments, the polarizing wafer 330 has a thicknessof about 0.7 mm.

In certain embodiments, the polarizing wafer 330 can include apolarizing film disposed between a first polymeric insulating layer anda second polymeric insulating layer. The polarizing film can providepolarizing properties. In various implementations, the polarizing filmcan comprise one or more dichroic dyes, iodine, or other suitable dyesthat are incorporated into a polyvinyl alcohol-type film having athickness ranging from about 20 μm to about 120 μm, or ranging fromabout 30 μm to about 50 μm. Examples of a polyvinyl alcohol-type filmare a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film, a polyvinylformal film, apolyvinylacetal film and a saponified (ethylene/vinyl acetate) copolymerfilm. In some embodiments, the polarizing properties of the wafer can beprovided by a nano-wire grid which filters light through plasmonreflection. The first and second polymeric layers can comprisepolycarbonate sheets. In various implementations, the polycarbonatesheets can be clear. In some implementations, the polycarbonate sheetsinclude stretched polycarbonate sheets. In various implementations, thefront most polymeric layer that receives light incident from the objector the scene is a stretched polycarbonate such that the polarizing wafer330 provides the desired amount of polarization. The other polymericlayer through which light exits the polarizing wafer 330 can beun-stretched and/or dispersive. The polycarbonate sheets used in thefirst and/or second polymeric layers can have a thickness ranging fromabout 0.03 mm to about 0.4 mm, or a thickness ranging from about 0.05 mmto about 0.3 mm. For example, the polycarbonate sheets used in the firstand/or second polymeric layers can have a thickness greater than orequal to about 0.03 mm and/or less than or equal to about 0.4 mm. Insome embodiments, a bonding layer of polyurethane adhesive is disposedbetween the polyvinyl alcohol-type film and the polymeric layers.

In various implementations, the CE wafer 310 is distinct from thepolarizing wafer 330. In such implementations, the CE wafer 310 can beintegrated with the first or the second polymeric layer of thepolarizing wafer 330 using insert molding, 2-shot injection moldingprocess, multi-shot injection molding process or casting. In someimplementations, one or more chroma enhancement dyes can be incorporatedinto the first or second polymeric layers of the polarizing wafer 330.An example method of manufacturing the lens 102 illustrated in FIG. 4 isdiscussed below with reference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example process 400 for making the lens102 of FIG. 4. At 420, a polarizing wafer (e.g., wafer 330) is placedinto a mold cavity. The polarizing wafer 330 can be pre-formed using avariety of processes including but not limited to casting or injectionmolding. An implementation of the method of forming the polarizing wafer(e.g., wafer 330) includes pre-forming the polarizing wafer to a desiredcurvature and inserting it into a mold cavity such that an outer orfront surface of the polarizing wafer substantially conforms to an innersurface of the mold cavity. In various implementations, the outer orfront surface can be curved (e.g., convex). The polarizing wafer can bepre-formed to a desired curvature by punching the polarizing waferagainst a heated mold before the polarizing wafer is inserted into themold cavity. In some embodiments, the polarizing wafer can be formed toa desired curvature within the mold cavity. At 430, a lens waferincluding an optical filter (e.g., a CE wafer, wafer 310) is integrated(e.g., molded) onto a surface of the polarizing wafer (e.g., wafer 330).The CE wafer can be pre-formed by a variety of manufacturing processesincluding but not limited to process 230 illustrated in FIG. 3 anddescribed above. As discussed above, the CE wafer (e.g., the wafer 310)can include an optical filter comprising one or more dyes, dopants,other chromophores or coatings. In various implementations, the opticalfilter can comprise one or more chroma enhancement dyes described belowand described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0141693 which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all that itdiscloses and is made part of this disclosure. In some implementations,the one or more dyes, dopants or other chromophores could be added to amolten resin before the resin is injected to form the CE wafer. In someimplementations, the one or more dyes, dopants or other chromophorescould be added after molding the CE wafer. In some implementations, theone or more dyes, dopants or other chromophores can be compounded into araw resin material (e.g., a thermoplastic resin, pellets, etc). The rawresin material can be melted to form a molten resin which is then moldedto form the CE wafer. In some implementations, the resin-dye mixture canbe extruded and pelletized prior to molding into a CE wafer.

When the CE wafer is manufactured using a casting process, the one ormore dyes, dopants or other chromophores can be incorporated into thecasting resin system prior to the casting process. For example, the oneor more dyes, dopants or other chromophores can be included in thecarrier solvent of the uncured resin and/or in other resin component,such as, for example, the monomer that forms the resin. In oneimplementation of manufacturing, the CE wafer is integrated with thepolarizing wafer by molding the resin-dye mixture (e.g., the extrudedpolymer pellets) on the inner surface (e.g., an inner concave surface)of the polarizing wafer at 430. The resulting combination of the CEwafer and the polarizing wafer can be called a CE/polar wafer (e.g., acombination of wafer 330 and wafer 310) or a functional wafer system. At440, the CE/polar wafer is placed in a mold cavity with a convex surfaceor outer surface of the CE/polar wafer facing an interior wall of thecavity. At 450, the mold cavity is closed, and molten clear resinmaterial is injected through a runner and gate into the mold cavity toback-mold on a concave surface or inside surface of the CE/polar wafer.The combined action of high temperature from the molten resin and highpressure from an injection screw can conform the CE/polar wafer to theinterior wall of the mold and bond the CE/polar wafer and the resinmaterial of the lens body (e.g., the base layer 320). After the resinmelt is hardened, a lens with a desired chroma enhancing and polarizingproperties and including the combined CE/polar wafer and the clear baselayer can be achieved.

In some embodiments, one or more advantages can be realized in at leastsome circumstances when a lens combining a molded CE wafer and a moldedbase layer is made. For example, molding a thin CE wafer (e.g., wafer110 via process 200) can reduce or eliminate the costly limitations ofan equivalent lens that could be produced by laminating an optical-gradeextruded sheet containing the chroma enhancement dyes that can be diecut and thermoformed to form a stand-alone CE wafer, which is theninserted into the mold for injection of resin for the lens body (e.g.,lens body 120). Molding a thin CE wafer into the CE/polar wafer (e.g.,combined wafers 310 and 330 via process 400) can also reduce oreliminate the costly limitations of an equivalent lens that could beproduced by laminating an optical-grade extruded sheet containing thechroma enhancement dyes as part of the manufacturing of a polarizingsheet that can be die cut and thermoformed to form a CE/polar wafer,which is then inserted in to the mold for injection of resin for thelens body (e.g., lens body 320). For example, it may not be necessary tomanufacture large volumes of optical-grade extruded sheet containing thechroma enhancement dyes to manufacture a lens including a molded CEwafer and a molded base layer, or to manufacture a lens including amolded CE/polar wafer and a molded base layer. This can translate to anincrease in the efficiency of utilization of expensive organic dyeswhich can reduce manufacturing costs significantly. Furthermore, diecutting waste can be reduced or eliminated when manufacturing a lensincluding a molded CE wafer and a molded base layer, or whenmanufacturing a lens including a molded CE/polar wafer and a molded baselayer. As such a lens including a molded CE wafer and a molded baselayer, or a lens including a molded CE/polar wafer and a molded baselayer, can advantageously reduce lead time, minimum order volumes,inventory carrying costs as compared to an equivalent lens that could beproduced by laminating an optical-grade extruded sheet containing thechroma enhancement dyes as part of the manufacturing of a polarizingsheet that can be die cut and thermoformed to form a CE/polar wafer,which is then inserted in to the mold for injection of resin for thelens body. Additionally, a lens including a molded CE wafer and a moldedlens body, or a lens including a molded CE/polar wafer and a molded lensbody, can advantageously have a faster market response and/or increasedmarket flexibility as compared to an equivalent lens that could beproduced by laminating an optical-grade extruded sheet containing thechroma enhancement dyes as part of the manufacturing of a polarizingsheet that can be die cut and thermoformed to form a CE/polar wafer,which is then inserted in to the mold for injection of resin for thelens body.

A lens including a molded CE wafer and a molded base layer can provide athin molded lens. For example, various implementations of the molded CEwafer and a molded base layer described herein can have a thickness lessthan or equal to 1.1 mm. Additional optical components that provideadditional functionality (e.g., polarizing components) can be integratedwith a thin molded lens without significantly increasing the thicknessof the lens. Additionally, the curvatures of the various opticalsurfaces of the thin molded lens can be designed and manufactured withgreater precision as compared to an equivalent lens that could beproduced by laminating an optical-grade extruded sheet containing thechroma enhancement dyes as part of the manufacturing of a polarizingsheet that can be die cut and thermoformed to form a CE/polar wafer,which is then inserted in to the mold for injection of resin for thelens body. Furthermore, since no adhesive layers or very few adhesivelayers are used during manufacturing various embodiments of a thinmolded lens (e.g., CE wafer or a CE/polar wafer molded with a baselayer), delamination of the various layers in such embodiments of a thinlens (e.g., CE wafer or a CE/polar wafer molded with a base layer) canbe prevented which can make these embodiments of a thin molded lens(e.g., CE wafer or a CE/polar wafer molded with a base layer) moredurable. Additionally, warpage of various surfaces can be prevented invarious embodiments of a thin molded lens (e.g., CE wafer or a CE/polarwafer molded with a base layer) manufactured by the processes describedherein.

Molding a very CE wafer can also eliminate a large amount of wastedchroma enhancement dyes. The process of die cutting wafers from anextruded sheet has large inherent waste since the die cutting processdoes not allow for perfect nesting of each wafer and has some trim andhandling margin that is wasted. If the chroma enhancement dyes werecontained in the lens body of the lens, they would be partially wastedby grinding them away as part of the surfacing process to achievedesired optical power.

The thin CE wafer can allow for accuracy and precision in the design ofan optical filter, such as a chroma-enhancing filter, for a givenenvironment. For example, a thin, uniform thickness CE wafer allows forthe same optical filtering properties (e.g., chroma enhancementproperties) over the complete area of the lens blank and, therefore, ofthe finished lens with optical power. Compared to certain laminationprocesses, the thin CE wafer can reduce or eliminate additional layersof adhesive, which can degrade optics, durability and be a source ofunwanted haze.

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate various implementations 600 a-600 c of a lensconfigured to provide one or more functionalities including but notlimited to chroma enhancement, polarization control, or combinationsthereof. The one or more functionalities can be accomplished byproviding a chroma-enhancement filter and/or a polarizer in the variouslens implementations 600 a-600 c depicted in FIGS. 6A-6C. The lensimplementations 600 a-600 c depicted in FIGS. 6A-6C can be configured toprovide additional functionality, such as, for example, anti-reflectionfunctionality, anti-static functionality, anti-fog functionality,scratch resistance, mechanical durability, hydrophobic functionality,reflective functionality, darkening functionality, or aestheticfunctionality including tinting. The additional functionality can beaccomplished by providing an anti-reflection layer, an anti-staticlayer, an anti-fog layer, a hard-coat, a hydrophobic layer, a reflectivecoating, mirror elements, interference stacks, a light attenuationlayer, photochromic/electrochromic materials, pigments or combinationsthereof in the various lens implementations 600 a-600 c depicted inFIGS. 6A-6C. The various lens implementations 600 a-600 c are describedin further detail below.

The various lens implementations 600 a-600 c depicted in FIGS. 6A-6Ccomprise a lens base 635 integrated with a wafer 640. The lens base 635is also referred to herein as a substrate. The wafer 640 can beintegrated with the lens base 635 using various manufacturing methodsincluding but not limited to molding, overmolding, insert injectionmolding, transfer molding, 2-shot injection molding process, multi-shotinjection molding process, casting or lamination. For example, the lensbase 635 can be overmolded onto the wafer 640. Without subscribing toany particular theory, overmolding can refer to a process in which thebase element 635 is molded onto and/or around the wafer 640 orvice-versa.

The lens base 635 can have generally similar physical, optical andchemical properties as the base layer 120 described above with referenceto FIG. 2 and/or the base layer 320 described above with reference toFIG. 3.

The lens base 635 has a convex front surface and a planar or a concaveback surface. The wafer 640 can be integrated with the convex frontsurface of the lens base 635 as depicted in FIGS. 6A-6C. The lens base635 can be made of polycarbonate (or PC), allyl diglycol carbonatemonomer (being sold under the brand name CR-39®), glass, nylon,polyurethane (e.g., materials sold under the brand name TRIVEX® orNXT®), polyethylene, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (or PET),biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate polyester film (or BoPET,with one such polyester film sold under the brand name MYLAR®), acrylic(polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA), a polymeric material, a co-polymer, adoped material, any other suitable material, or any combination ofmaterials. In certain embodiments, the lens base 635 can be made from apolymeric material, such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer.

The lens base 635 can be symmetrical across a vertical axis of symmetry,symmetrical across a horizontal axis of symmetry, symmetrical acrossanother axis, or asymmetrical. In some embodiments, the front and backsurfaces of the lens base 635 can conform to the surfaces of respectivecylinders, spheres, or other curved shapes that have a common centerpoint and different radii. In some embodiments, the lens base 635 canhave a front and back surfaces that conform to the surfaces ofrespective cylinders that have center points offset from each other,such that the thickness of the lens base 635 tapers from a thickercentral portion to thinner edge portions. The surfaces of the lens base635 can conform to other shapes, as discussed herein, such as a sphere,toroid, ellipsoid, asphere, plano, frusto-conical, and the like. Forexample, the lens base 635 can be a plano lens having a convex frontsurface and a planar back surface.

The lens implementations 600 a-600 c can be a prescription lens.Accordingly, the lens base 635 can be configured to provide opticalpower. The lens base 635 can be contoured during initial formation orafter the molding process to have an optical magnificationcharacteristic that modifies the focal power of the lens. In someembodiments, the lens base 635 is surfaced (e.g., machined, ground,and/or polished) after initial formation to modify the optical or focalpower of the lens. The lens base 635 can provide a substantial amount ofthe optical power and magnification characteristics to the lens. In someembodiments, the lens base 635 provides the majority of the opticalpower and magnification characteristics. Apportioning the majority,substantially all, or all of the optical power and magnification to thelens base 635 can permit selection of lens base 635 materials and lensbase 635 formation techniques that provide improved lens optical powerand magnification characteristics, without adversely affecting selectionof wafer 640 materials and formation techniques. Further, theconfiguration of an optical filter present in the wafer 640 can beindependent of the optical power selected for the lens. For example, thelens base 635 can be surfaced without changing the thickness of the lenscomponent that contains the optical filter chromophores.

The lens base 635 can be casted or injection molded, and additionalprocesses can be used to form the shape of the lens base 635, such asthermoforming or machining. In some embodiments, the lens base 635 canbe casted or injection molded and includes a relatively rigid andoptically acceptable material such as polycarbonate. The curvature ofthe lens base 635 can be incorporated into a molded lens blank. A lensblank can include the desired curvature and taper in its as-moldedcondition. One or two or more lens bodies of the desired shape may thenbe cut from the optically appropriate portion of the lens blank as isunderstood in the art. In some embodiments, the lens base 635 can beconfigured as a plano lens blank. In some other embodiments, the lensbase 635 can be configured as a prescription lens blank.

The thickness of the lens base 635 can be selected to provide the lenswith a desired level of optical power. In some embodiments, a concaveside (or back side) of the lens base 635 can be surfaced to produce adesired curvature and/or magnification.

The wafer 640 comprises a plurality of components that are configured toprovide one or more of the functionalities discussed above. The wafer640 comprises at least two polymeric layers 650 and 660 and a functionallayer 655 disposed between the at least two polymeric layers 650 and660. In some implementations, the wafer 640 can comprise the polymericlayer 650, the functional layer 655 and the polymeric layer 660 insequence. However, in other implementations, one or more other layerscan be disposed between the polymeric layer 650, the functional layer655 and the polymeric layer 660. The functional layer 655 can beconfigured to provide one or more of the functionalities discussedherein. One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can be configuredas polymeric insulating layers. One or both of the polymer layers 650and 660 can comprise an optical filter layer configured to providestatic and/or variable light attenuation. The functional layer 655 cancomprise a polarizer, an anti-reflective coating, a mirror coating, ananti-static coating, a hydro-phobic coating, a hard coat, orcombinations thereof. The polymeric layers 650 and 660 can be configuredas protective polymeric layers that provide mechanical strength andstability to the wafer 640 and/or the lens. One or both of the polymericlayers 650 and 660 can comprise anti-scratch coatings to provideanti-scratch functionality to the lens.

As depicted in FIGS. 6A-6C, the wafer 640 is integrated with a convexfront surface of the lens base 635. Accordingly, the polymeric layer 650can have a rear or a back surface that substantially conforms to theconvex front surface of the lens base 635. For example, the polymericlayer 650 can have a concave surface having a curvature that conforms tothe curvature of the convex front surface of the lens base 635. Thefront surface of the polymeric layer 650 can be configured to conform tothe shape of the rear or back surface of the functional layer 655. Forexample, the front surface of the polymeric layer 650 can be convex asdepicted in FIGS. 6A-6C to conform to a concave rear or back surface ofthe functional layer 655. In other implementations, the rear or backsurface of the functional layer 655 can be planar or convex. In suchimplementations, the front surface of the polymeric layer 650 can beplanar or concave. The rear or back surface of the polymeric layer 660can have a shape that conforms to the shape of the front surface of theadhesive layer 650. For example, the front surface of the functionallayer 655 can be convex as depicted in FIGS. 6A-6C. In suchimplementations, the rear or back surface of the polymeric layer 660 canbe concave. As another example, the front surface of the functionallayer 655 can be planar or concave. In such implementations, the rear orback surface of the polymeric layer 660 can be planar or convex. Thefront surface of the polymeric layer 660 can be convex as depicted inFIGS. 6A-6C. In various implementations, the front surface of thepolymeric layer 660 can be planar or concave.

One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can comprise polycarbonate(or PC), allyl diglycol carbonate monomer (being sold under the brandname CR-39®), glass, nylon, polyurethane (e.g., materials sold under thebrand name TRIVEX® or NXT®), polyethylene, polyimide, polyethyleneterephthalate (or PET), biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalatepolyester film (or BoPET, with one such polyester film sold under thebrand name MYLAR®), acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA), apolymeric material, a co-polymer, a doped material, thermoplastic,thermosetting polymer, any other suitable material, or any combinationof materials. One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can comprisepolycarbonate sheets. In various implementations, the polycarbonatesheets can be clear. In some implementations, the polycarbonate sheetsinclude stretched, un-stretched and/or dispersive polycarbonate sheets.The polycarbonate sheets used in the polymeric layers 650 and 660 canhave a thickness ranging from about 0.03 mm to about 0.4 mm, or athickness ranging from about 0.05 mm to about 0.3 mm. For example, thepolycarbonate sheets used in the first and/or second polymeric layerscan have a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.03 mm and/or lessthan or equal to about 0.4 mm.

One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can have any suitableshape, including, for example, plano-plano, meniscus, cylindrical,spherical, parabolic, aspherical, elliptical, flat, another shape, or acombination of shapes. One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 canbe symmetrical across a vertical axis of symmetry, symmetrical across ahorizontal axis of symmetry, symmetrical across another axis, orasymmetrical. In some embodiments, the front and back surfaces of one orboth the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can conform to the surfaces ofrespective cylinders, spheres, or other curved shapes that have a commoncenter point and different radii. In some embodiments, one or both thepolymeric layers 650 and 660 can have front and back surfaces thatconform to the surfaces of respective cylinders, spheres, or othercurved shapes that have center points offset from each other, such thatthe thickness of one or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 tapersfrom a thicker central portion to thinner outer portions. The surfacesof one or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can conform to othershapes, as discussed herein, such as a sphere, toroid, ellipsoid,asphere, plano, frusto-conical, and the like.

One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can have a thickness thatis greater than or equal to about 0.3 mm and/or less than or equal toabout 2.0 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.4 mm and/or less than orequal to about 1.8 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.5 mm and/or lessthan or equal to about 1.7 mm, greater than or equal to about 0.6 mmand/or less than or equal to about 1.6 mm, greater than or equal toabout 0.7 mm and/or less than or equal to about 1.5 mm, greater than orequal to 0.8 mm and less than or equal to 1.7 mm, greater than or equalto 0.9 mm and less than or equal to 1.6 mm, greater than or equal to 1.0mm and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, less than or equal to 1.4 mm,greater than or equal to 1.1 mm and/or less than or equal to 1.2 mm. Incertain embodiments, the thickness of one or both the polymeric layers650 and 660 can be substantially uniform. For example, the thickness canbe considered substantially uniform when one or both the polymericlayers 650 and 660 does not contribute to the optical power of the lensimplementations 600 a-600 c and/or when the thickness varies by lessthan or equal to about 5% from the average thickness of the component.

As discussed above, a functional layer 655 can be disposed between theat least two polymeric layers 650 and 660. The functional layer 655 cancomprise a polarizing film that can provide polarizing properties. Invarious implementations, the polarizing film can comprise one or moredichroic dyes, iodine, or other suitable dyes that are incorporated intoa polyvinyl alcohol-type film having a thickness ranging from about 20μm to about 120 μm, or ranging from about 30 μm to about 50 μm. Examplesof a polyvinyl alcohol-type film are a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film, apolyvinylformal film, a polyvinylacetal film and a saponified(ethylene/vinyl acetate) copolymer film. In some embodiments, thepolarizing properties of the wafer can be provided by a nano-wire gridwhich filters light through plasmon reflection. In variousimplementations, the polymeric layer 660 that receives light incidentfrom the object or the scene is a stretched polycarbonate such that thepolarizing film provides the desired amount of polarization. The otherpolymeric layer through which light exits the polarizing film can beun-stretched and/or dispersive. In some embodiments, a bonding layer ofpolyurethane adhesive can be disposed between the polyvinyl alcohol-typefilm and the polymeric layers 650 and 660.

One or both the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can at least partiallycomprise an optical filter. For example, in FIG. 6A, the polymeric layer650 disposed adjacent to the lens base 635 at least partially comprisesthe optical filter. In FIG. 6B, the polymeric layer 660 disposed awayfrom the lens base 635 at least partially comprises the optical filter.In FIG. 6C, the polymeric layers 650 and 660 at least partially comprisethe optical filter. The optical filter can be a static/fixed filter, avariable/dynamic filter or combination thereof. As discussed above, whenconfigured as a static/fixed filter, the optical filter provides a fixedattenuation. As discussed above, when configured as a variableattenuation filter, the optical filter can be configured to switchbetween two or more filter states having different light attenuationcharacteristics. As discussed above, the optical filter can beconfigured to switch between two or more filter states based on an inputfrom a user, an electrical signal, a signal from a control circuit, aninput from a sensor, in response to exposure to electromagneticradiation or combinations thereof.

The optical filter can be configured to provide chroma enhancement andenhance a scene viewed through the lens. In various embodiments, theoptical filter can comprise materials that absorb and/or reflect light,including but not limited to dyes, dopants, other chromophores,coatings, and so forth. The optical filter can provide opticalproperties to the lens such as color enhancement, chroma enhancement,and/or any other type of optical enhancement. The optical filter canhave physical and/or spectral characteristics similar to the opticalfilters described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No.2013/0141693 (OAKLY1.514A), the entire contents of which areincorporated by reference herein and made part of this specification.

The optical filter can be configured to provide chroma enhancement asdiscussed above. Accordingly, the optical filter can comprise one ormore dyes, dopants, pigments, chromophores, coatings or combinationsthereof. For example, the optical filter can comprise one or more chromaenhancement dyes discussed herein and in U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2013/0141693 which is incorporated by reference hereinfor all it discloses and is made part of this disclosure. The opticalfilter can have spectral characteristics substantially similar to thespectral characteristics that are depicted in and described with respectto FIGS. 31A-35C below to provide chroma enhancement for certainspecific activities.

The optical filter can be configured as a layer that is at leastpartially integrated with one or both of the polymeric layers 650 and660. The thickness of the optical filter layer comprising one or morechroma enhancement dyes can depend at least partially on the strength,and/or concentration of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes that areincorporated into the optical filter. As discussed above, the strength,and/or concentration of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes can beselected to provide a desired chroma enhancement effect. For example, invarious implementations, the strength, and/or concentration of the oneor more chroma enhancement dyes can be reduced if a small amount ofattenuation (or chroma enhancement) in a certain spectral bandwidth isdesired. As another example, in various implementations, the strength,and/or concentration of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes can beincreased if a large amount of attenuation (or chroma enhancement) in acertain spectral bandwidth is desired. Implementations of the opticalfilter layer that are configured to provide a small amount ofattenuation (or chroma enhancement) may be thinner as compared toimplementations of the optical filter layer that are configured toprovide a large amount of attenuation (or chroma enhancement).

The thickness of the optical filter layer can also depend on thesolubility of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes in the syntheticmaterial (e.g., polymeric material, resin, etc.) that is selected toform the optical filter layer. For example, if the solubility of the oneor more chroma enhancement dyes in the synthetic material that isselected to form the optical filter is low then a larger amount of thesynthetic material may be required to achieve a desired strength, and/orconcentration of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes which canresult in a thicker optical filter layer. As another example, if thesolubility of the one or more chroma enhancement dyes in the syntheticmaterial that is selected to form the optical filter layer is high thena smaller amount of the synthetic material may be required to achieve adesired strength, and/or concentration of the one or more chromaenhancement dyes which can result in a thinner optical filter layer.

The optical filter can have one or more absorptance or absorbance peakshaving a spectral bandwidth, a maximum absorptance or absorbance, acenter wavelength located at a midpoint of the spectral bandwidth and anintegrated absorptance peak area within the spectral bandwidth. Thespectral bandwidth can be equal to the full width of theabsorbance/absorptance peak at 80% of the maximum absorbance/absorptanceof the absorbance/absorptance peak. In some implementations, thespectral bandwidth can be equal to the full width of theabsorbance/absorptance peak at 50%-90% of the maximumabsorbance/absorptance of the absorbance/absorptance peak. In variousimplementations, the full width of the absorbance/absorptance peak at50% of the maximum absorbance/absorptance of the absorbance/absorptancepeak can be greater than the full width of the absorbance/absorptancepeak at 80% of the maximum absorbance/absorptance by an amount between2-30 nm.

In various implementations, the center wavelength of theabsorptance/absorbance peak can be between 440 nm and 500 nm. Forexample, the center wavelength of the absorptance/absorbance peak can bebetween 440 nm and 450 nm, between 445 nm and between 455 nm, between450 nm and between 460 nm, between 455 nm and between 465 nm, between460 nm and between 470 nm, between 465 nm and between 475 nm, between470 nm and between 480 nm, between 475 nm and between 485 nm, between480 nm and between 490 nm, between 485 nm and between 485 nm and/orbetween 490 nm and between 500 nm.

In various implementations, the center wavelength of theabsorptance/absorbance peak can be between 560 nm and 585 nm. Forexample, the center wavelength of the absorptance/absorbance peak can bebetween 560 nm and 570 nm, between 565 nm and 575 nm, between 570 nm and580 nm, and/or between 575 nm and 585 nm. In some implementations, thecenter wavelength of the absorptance/absorbance peak can be between 560nm and 600 nm or between 630 nm and 680 nm.

In various implementations, an attenuation factor of theabsorptance/absorbance peak can be greater than or equal to about 0.8and less than 1.0, wherein the attenuation factor of theabsorptance/absorbance peak is obtained by dividing an integratedabsorptance peak area within the spectral bandwidth by the spectralbandwidth of the absorptance/absorbance peak.

The optical filter can comprise one or organic dyes. The optical filtercan comprise one or more chroma enhancement dyes. For example, theoptical filter can comprise a violet, blue, green, yellow, or red chromaenhancement dye. The optical filter can be configured to increase theaverage chroma value of uniform intensity light stimuli having abandwidth of 30 nm transmitted through the optical filter within aspectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm by an amount greater than or equal to5% as compared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates the sameaverage percentage of light as the optical filter within the spectralrange of 440 nm to 510 nm. For example, the optical filter can beconfigured to increase the average chroma value of uniform intensitylight stimuli having a bandwidth of 30 nm transmitted through theoptical filter within a spectral range of 440 nm to 510 nm by an amountgreater than or equal to 8%, 10%, 14%, 18%, 20% or 25% as compared to aneutral filter that uniformly attenuates the same average percentage oflight as the optical filter within the spectral range of 440 nm to 510nm.

The optical filter can be configured to increase the average chromavalue of uniform intensity light stimuli having a bandwidth of 30 nmtransmitted through the optical filter within a spectral range of 540 nmto 600 nm by an amount greater than or equal to 5% as compared to aneutral filter that uniformly attenuates the same average percentage oflight as the optical filter within the spectral range of 540 nm to 600nm. For example, the optical filter can be configured to increase theaverage chroma value of uniform intensity light stimuli having abandwidth of 30 nm transmitted through the optical filter within aspectral range of 540 nm to 600 nm by an amount greater than or equal to8%, 10%, 14%, 18%, 20% or 25% as compared to a neutral filter thatuniformly attenuates the same average percentage of light as the opticalfilter within the spectral range of 540 nm to 600 nm.

The functional layer 655 can be separable from optical filter integratedwith one or both of the polymeric layers 650 and 660 and/or one or bothof the polymeric layers 650 and 660. The functional layer 655 can beadhered to one or both of the polymeric layers 650 and 660 using one ormore adhesive layers. For example, the functional layer 655 and one orboth of the polymeric layers 650 and 660 can be attached throughelectrostatic adhesion, a pressure sensitive adhesive, another adhesive,or any combination of adhesives. In some implementations, the functionallayer 655 can be laminated to one or both the polymeric layers 650 and660. The functional layer 655 can be attached to one or both of thepolymeric layers 650 and 660 using methods that allow the removal of thefunctional layer 655. The functional layer 655 can be configured to beremovable by a user by applying a pulling force to the functional layer655 and/or one or both of the polymeric layers 650 and 660. The adhesionbetween the functional layer 655 and the polymeric layer to which it isattached can be such that applying a force by a person can be sufficientto remove the functional layer 655 from the eyewear. For example, thefunctional layer 655 can be attached to one or both of the polymericlayers 650 and 660 through the use of electrostatic adhesion. Byovercoming the electrostatic force maintaining the functional layer 655joined to one or both of the polymeric layers 650 and 660, a user canpeel the functional layer 655 from the eyewear. In some embodiments, theframe or other component of the eyewear includes a mechanism that aidsin the removal of the functional layer 655. For example, a roller orslider can be built into the frame that aids a user in pulling thefunctional layer 655 off of the one or both of the polymeric layers 650and 660. In some implementations, the functional layer 655 can at leastpartially comprise the optical filter.

The implementations of lenses 600 a-600 c can be manufactured using thevarious manufacturing methods described herein. One method ofmanufacturing the implementations of lenses 600 a-600 c is depicted inFIG. 6D. The method comprises manufacturing the wafer 640 as depicted inblock 670. The wafer 640 can be manufactured according to one or moremanufacturing methods described herein. For example, the wafer 640 canbe manufactured using molding, overmolding, insert injection molding,transfer molding, 2-shot injection molding process, multi-shot injectionmolding process, casting or lamination. The manufactured wafer 640 isplaced into the cavity of a mold as shown in block 675 of FIG. 6D. Thematerial of the lens base 635 is introduced into the mold cavity tointegrate the lens base 635 with the wafer 640 as shown in block 680 ofFIG. 6D.

Various implementations of optical filters that can enhance chroma inone or more spectral bands are described below. To design a filter thatincreases chroma for an array of colors, one can account for themechanisms involved in the eye's perception of color. The photopicallyadapted eye (e.g., the human eye) shows peak sensitivities at 440, 545,and 565 nm. These peak sensitivities correspond to each of three opticalsensors found in the eye's retina known as cones. The location and shapeof the cone sensitivity profiles have recently been measured withsubstantial accuracy in Stockman and Sharpe, “The spectral sensitivitiesof the middle- and long-wavelength-sensitive cones derived frommeasurements in observers of known genotype,” Vision Research 40 (2000),pp. 1711-1737, which is incorporated by reference herein and made a partof this specification. The sensitivity profiles S, M, L for conephotoreceptor cells in the human eye as measured by Stockman and Sharpeare shown in FIG. 7A.

The cone sensitivity profiles can be converted from sensitivity data toquantities describing color such as, for example, the CIE tristimuluscolor values. The 1931 CIE XYZ tristimulus functions are shown in FIG.7B. In some embodiments, the CIE tristimulus color values are used todesign an optical filter. For example, the CIE color values can be usedto calculate the effect of an optical filter on perceived color usingvalues of chroma, C*, in the CIE L*C*h* color space.

The human cone sensitivities can be converted to the 1931 CIE XYZ colorspace using the linear transformation matrix M described in Golz andMacleod, “Colorimetry for CRT displays,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A vol. 20, no.5 (May 2003), pp. 769-781, which is incorporated by reference herein andmade a part of this specification. The linear transformation is shown inEq. 1:

$\begin{matrix}{M = {{\begin{bmatrix}0.17156 & 0.52901 & 0.02199 \\0.15955 & 0.48553 & 0.04298 \\0.01916 & 0.03989 & 1.03993\end{bmatrix}\begin{bmatrix}L \\M \\S\end{bmatrix}} = {M\begin{bmatrix}X \\Y \\Z\end{bmatrix}}}} & \left( {{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 1} \right)\end{matrix}$To solve for the 1931 CIE XYZ color space values (X Y Z), the Stockmanand Sharpe 2000 data can be scaled by factors of 0.628, 0.42, and 1.868for L, M, and S cone sensitivities, respectively, and multiplied by theinverse of the linear transformation matrix M in the manner shown inEqs. 2-1 and 2-2:

$\begin{matrix}{\begin{bmatrix}X \\Y \\Z\end{bmatrix} = {M^{- 1}\begin{bmatrix}L \\M \\S\end{bmatrix}}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 2}\text{-}1} \right) \\{{where}\text{:}} & \; \\{M^{- 1} = \begin{bmatrix}2.89186 & {- 3.13517} & 0.19072 \\0.95178 & 1.02077 & {- 0.02206} \\{- 0.01677} & 0.09691 & 0.95724\end{bmatrix}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 2}\text{-}2} \right)\end{matrix}$

The CIE tristimulus values, X Y Z, can be converted to the 1976 CIEL*a*b* color space coordinates using the nonlinear equations shown inEqs. 3-1 through 3-7. Where X_(n)=95.02, Y_(n)=100.00, and Z_(n)=108.82,

$\begin{matrix}{L^{*} = {{116\sqrt[3]{Y/Y_{n}}} - 16}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}1} \right) \\{a^{*} = {500\left( {\sqrt[3]{X/X_{n}} - \sqrt[3]{Y/Y_{n}}} \right)}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}2} \right) \\{b^{*} = {200\left( {\sqrt[3]{Y/Y_{n}} - \sqrt[3]{Z/Z_{n}}} \right)}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}3} \right) \\{{{If}\mspace{14mu}{X/X_{n}}},{Y/Y_{n}},\mspace{14mu}{{{or}\mspace{14mu}{Z/Z_{n}}} < 0.008856},{{then}\text{:}}} & \; \\{L^{*} = {903.3\left( {Y/Y_{n}} \right)}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}4} \right) \\{a^{*} = {500\left\lbrack {{f\left( {X/X_{n}} \right)} - {f\left( {Y/Y_{n}} \right)}} \right\rbrack}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}5} \right) \\{b^{*} = {200\left\lbrack {{f\left( {Y/Y_{n}} \right)} - {f\left( {Z/Z_{n}} \right)}} \right\rbrack}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}6} \right) \\{{{{{For}\mspace{14mu}\alpha} > 0.005586};{\alpha = {X/X_{n}}}},{Y/Y_{n}},{{or}\mspace{14mu}{Z/Z_{n}}}} & \; \\{{f(\alpha)} = \sqrt[3]{\alpha}} & \; \\{{Otherwise}\text{:}} & \; \\{{f(\alpha)} = {{7.87\alpha} + {16/116}}} & \left( {{{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3}\text{-}7} \right)\end{matrix}$Chroma or C* can be then be calculated by further conversion from CIEL*a*b* to CIE L*C*h* using Eq. 4:C*=√{square root over (a* ² +b* ²)}  (Eq. 4)

As mentioned above, the colors observed in the physical world arestimulated by wide bands of wavelengths. To simulate this and thencalculate the effects of an optical filter, filtered and non-filteredbands of light are used as input to the cone sensitivity space. Theeffect on chroma can then be predicted via the transformations listedabove.

When inputting a spectrum of light to the cone sensitivity space, themechanism of color recognition in the human eye can be accounted for.Color response by the eye is accomplished by comparing the relativesignals of each of the three cones types: S, M, and L. To model thiswith broad band light, a sum of the intensities at each wavelength inthe input spectrum is weighted according to the cone sensitivity at thatwavelength. This is repeated for all three cone sensitivity profiles. Anexample of this calculation is shown in Table B:

TABLE B Input light L intensity, Weighted Wavelength arbitrary L Conelight λ (nm) units Sensitivity intensity 500 0.12 × 0.27 = 0.032 5010.14 × 0.28 = 0.039 502 0.16 × 0.31 = 0.05 503 0.17 × 0.33 = 0.056 5040.25 × 0.36 = 0.09 505 0.41 × 0.37 = 0.152 506 0.55 × 0.39 = 0.215 5070.64 × 0.41 = 0.262 508 0.75 × 0.42 = 0.315 509 0.63 × 0.44 = 0.277 5100.54 × 0.46 = 0.248 511 0.43 × 0.48 = 0.206 512 0.25 × 0.49 = 0.123 5130.21 × 0.50 = 0.105 514 0.18 × 0.51 = 0.092 515 0.16 × 0.52 = 0.083 5160.15 × 0.54 = 0.081 517 0.13 × 0.56 = 0.073 518 0.11 × 0.57 = 0.063 5190.09 × 0.59 = 0.053 Total 520 0.08 × 0.61 = 0.049 weighted Sum 6.152.664 light intensity, normalized 0.433

Normalized weighted light intensities for all three cone types can thenbe converted to the 1931 CIE XYZ color space via a linear transformationmatrix, M. This conversion facilitates further conversion to the 1976CIE L*a*b* color space and the subsequent conversion to the CIE L*C*hcolor space to yield chroma values.

To simulate the effect of a filter placed between the eye and thephysical world, an input band of light can be modified according to aprospective filter's absorption characteristics. The weighted lightintensity is then normalized according to the total sum of light that istransmitted through the filter.

In certain embodiments, to test the effect of a filter on various colorsof light, the spectral profile, or at least the bandwidth, of an inputis determined first. The appropriate bandwidth for the model's input istypically affected by the environment of use for the optical filter. Areasonable bandwidth for a sunglass lens can be about 30 nm, since thisbandwidth represents the approximate bandwidth of many colors perceivedin the natural environment. Additionally, 30 nm is a narrow enoughbandwidth to permit transmitted light to fall within responsive portionsof the cone sensitivity functions, which are approximately twice thisbandwidth. A filter designed using a 30 nm input bandwidth will alsoimprove the chroma of colors having other bandwidths, such as 20 nm or80 nm. Thus, the effect of a filter on chroma can be determined usingcolor inputs having a 30 nm bandwidth or another suitable bandwidth thatis sensitive to a wide range of natural color bandwidths.

Other bandwidths are possible. The bandwidth can be significantlywidened or narrowed from 30 nm while preserving the chroma-enhancingproperties of many filter designs. The 30 nm bandwidth described aboveis representative of wider or narrower input bandwidths that can be usedto produce desired features of an optical filter. The term “bandwidth”is used herein in its broad and ordinary sense. This disclosure setsforth several techniques for characterizing the bandwidth of a spectralfeature. Unless otherwise specified, any suitable bandwidthcharacterization disclosed herein can be applied to define the spectralfeatures identified in this specification. For example, in someembodiments, the bandwidth of a peak encompasses the full width of apeak at half of the peak's maximum value (FWHM value) and any othercommonly used measurements of bandwidth.

A sample calculation of the normalized L weighted light intensity usingthe 30 nm bandwidth and an example filter is shown in Table C:

TABLE C Incoming light Filtered L Wavelength intensity Filter L Coneweighted light λ (nm) arbitrary units T % Sensitivity intensity 499 0 ×0.12 × 0.25 = 0.00 500 1 × 0.34 × 0.27 = 0.09 501 1 × 0.41 × 0.28 = 0.11502 1 × 0.42 × 0.31 = 0.13 503 1 × 0.44 × 0.33 = 0.15 504 1 × 0.51 ×0.36 = 0.18 505 1 × 0.55 × 0.37 = 0.20 506 1 × 0.61 × 0.39 = 0.24 507 1× 0.78 × 0.41 = 0.32 508 1 × 0.75 × 0.42 = 0.32 509 1 × 0.85 × 0.44 =0.37 510 1 × 0.87 × 0.46 = 0.40 511 1 × 0.91 × 0.48 = 0.44 512 1 × 0.95× 0.49 = 0.47 513 1 × 0.96 × 0.50 = 0.48 514 1 × 0.97 × 0.51 = 0.49 5151 × 0.96 × 0.52 = 0.50 516 1 × 0.98 × 0.54 = 0.53 517 1 × 0.76 × 0.56 =0.43 518 1 × 0.75 × 0.57 = 0.43 519 1 × 0.61 × 0.59 = 0.36 520 1 × 0.55× 0.61 = 0.34 521 1 × 0.48 × 0.72 = 0.35 522 1 × 0.42 × 0.78 = 0.33 5231 × 0.41 × 0.81 = 0.33 524 1 × 0.35 × 0.84 = 0.29 525 1 × 0.33 × 0.85 =0.28 526 1 × 0.31 × 0.88 = 0.27 527 1 × 0.28 × 0.87 = 0.24 528 1 × 0.27× 0.89 = 0.24 529 1 × 0.22 × 0.91 = 0.20 Total Filtered 530 0 × 0.18 ×0.92 = 0.00 L Weighted 531 0 × 0.15 × 0.93 = 0.00 Light Intensity, Sum30 18.4 9.51 Normalized 0.52

In some embodiments, an optical filter is designed by using spectralprofiles of candidate filters to calculate the effect of the candidatefilters on chroma. In this way, changes in the filter can be iterativelychecked for their effectiveness in achieving a desired result.Alternatively, filters can be designed directly via numericalsimulation. Examples and comparative examples of optical filters and theeffects of those optical filters on chroma are described herein. In eachcase, the chroma of input light passing through each filter is comparedto the chroma of the same input without filtering. Plots of “absorptance%” against visible spectrum wavelengths show the spectral absorptanceprofile of the example or comparative example optical filter. Each plotof “chroma, C*, relative” against visible spectrum wavelengths shows therelative chroma of a 30 nm wide light stimulus of uniform intensityafter the stimulus passes through a wavelength-dependent optical filteras a thinner curve on the plot, with the center wavelength of eachstimulus being represented by the values on the horizontal axis. Eachplot of “chroma, C*, relative” also shows the relative chroma of thesame 30 nm wide light stimulus passing through a neutral filter thatattenuates the same average percentage of light within the bandwidth ofthe stimulus as the wavelength-dependent optical filter.

One goal of filter design can be to determine the overall colorappearance of a lens. In some embodiments, the perceived color ofoverall light transmitted from the lens is bronze, amber, violet, gray,or another color. In some cases, the consumer has preferences that aredifficult to account for quantitatively. In certain cases, lens coloradjustments can be accomplished within the model described in thisdisclosure. The impact of overall color adjustments to the filter designcan be calculated using a suitable model. In some cases, coloradjustments can be made with some, little, or no sacrifice to the chromacharacteristics being sought. In some embodiments, a lens has an overallcolor with a relatively low chroma value. For example, the lens can havea chroma value of less than 60. A chroma-increasing optical filter usedin such a lens can provide increased colorfulness for at least somecolors as compared to when the same optical filter is used in a lenswith an overall color having a higher chroma value.

Specific bandwidths of light with uniform intensity were used tocalculate the relative chroma profiles in this disclosure. In figureswhere the relative chroma profile of a filter is shown, the scale ismaintained constant throughout this disclosure such that relative chromashown in one figure can be compared to relative chroma shown in otherfigures, unless otherwise noted. In some figures, the chroma profile ofa filter can be clipped in order to show detail and maintain consistentscale.

In some embodiments, an optical filter is configured to increase ormaximize chroma in the blue to blue-green region of the visiblespectrum. A filter with such a configuration can have an absorptancepeak centered at about 478 nm or at about 480 nm, as shown in FIG. 8.The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the absorptance peak shown inFIG. 8 is about 20 nm. However, other absorptance peak widths can beused, including bandwidths greater than or equal to about 10 nm, greaterthan or equal to about 15 nm, greater than or equal to about 20 nm, lessthan or equal to about 60 nm, less than or equal to about 50 nm, lessthan or equal to about 40 nm, between about 10 nm and about 60 nm, orbetween any of the other foregoing values. The bandwidth of anabsorptance peak can be measured in any suitable fashion in addition toor in place of FWHM. For example, the bandwidth of an absorptance peakcan include the full width of a peak at 80% of the maximum, the fullwidth of a peak at 90% of the maximum, the full width of a peak at 95%of the maximum, or the full width of a peak at 98% of the maximum.

The spectral features of an optical filter can also be evaluated byconsidering the transmittance profile of the filter and/or a lensincorporating the filter. In some embodiments, the bandwidth and/orattenuation factors of transmittance valleys can be measured. Thebandwidth of a transmittance valley can be defined, for example, as thefull width of the valley at a certain transmittance, such as 2%, 5%,10%, or 20%. In certain embodiments, the bandwidth of a transmittancevalley is defined as the full width of the valley at 1.5 times, twotimes, four times, ten times, or one hundred times the minimumtransmittance. In some embodiments, the bandwidth of a transmittancevalley is defined as the full width of the valley at a certain offsetfrom the minimum transmittance, such as, for example, the minimumtransmittance plus 1% transmittance, plus 2% transmittance, plus 5%transmittance, plus 10% transmittance, or plus 20% transmittance. Theattenuation factor of a transmittance valley can be calculated bydividing the area between 100% and the transmittance profile curve bythe bandwidth, within the spectral bandwidth of the transmittancevalley. Alternatively, the attenuation factor of a transmittance valleycan be calculating by finding the absorptance within the bandwidth bysubtracting the area under the transmittance curve from 1 and dividingthe result by the bandwidth.

The spectral features of an optical filter can also be evaluated byconsidering the absorbance profile of the filter and/or a lensincorporating the filter. In some embodiments, an optical filter isconfigured to increase or maximize chroma in the blue to blue-greenregion of the visible spectrum. A filter with such a configuration canhave an absorbance peak centered at about 478 nm or at about 480 nm, asshown in FIG. 8. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the absorbancepeak shown in FIG. 8 is about 20 nm. However, other absorbance peakwidths can be used, including bandwidths greater than or equal to about10 nm, greater than or equal to about 15 nm, greater than or equal toabout 20 nm, less than or equal to about 60 nm, less than or equal toabout 50 nm, less than or equal to about 40 nm, between about 10 nm andabout 60 nm, or between any of the other foregoing values. The bandwidthof an absorbance peak can be measured in any suitable fashion inaddition to or in place of FWHM. For example, the bandwidth of anabsorbance peak can include the full width of a peak at 80% of themaximum, the full width of a peak at 90% of the maximum, the full widthof a peak at 95% of the maximum, or the full width of a peak at 98% ofthe maximum.

FIG. 9A shows the relative chroma, as a function of wavelength, of afilter having the absorptance profile shown in FIG. 8. Once again, thethicker black line corresponds to the chroma profile of a neutral filterhaving the same integrated light transmittance within each 30 nmstimulus band as within each corresponding band of the optical filtershown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9B shows a percentage difference in chroma betweenthe output of the optical filter of FIG. 8 and the output of a filterthat uniformly attenuates the same average percentage of light withineach stimulus band as the optical filter of FIG. 8, wherein the input isa 30 nm uniform intensity stimulus and the horizontal axis indicates thecenter wavelength of each stimulus band.

A CIE xy chromaticity diagram for the optical filter having anabsorptance profile as shown in FIG. 8 is provided in FIG. 10. Thechromaticity diagram shows the chromaticity of the filter as well as thegamut of an RGB color space. Each of the chromaticity diagrams providedin this disclosure shows the chromaticity of the associated filter orlens, where the chromaticity is calculated using CIE illuminant D65.

In certain embodiments, an optical filter is configured to increase ormaximize chroma in the blue region of the visible spectrum. A filterwith such a configuration can provide an absorptance peak with a centerwavelength and/or peak location at about 453 nm, at about 450 nm, orbetween about 445 nm and about 460 nm. The bandwidth of the absorptancepeak can be greater than or equal to about 10 nm, greater than or equalto about 15 nm, greater than or equal to about 20 nm, or anothersuitable value.

In some embodiments, an optical filter is configured to increase ormaximize chroma across several, many, or most colors, or at least manycolors that are commonly encountered in the environment of the wearer.Such an optical filter can include a plurality of absorptance peaks. Forexample, FIG. 11 shows a spectral absorptance profile of an embodimentof an optical filter including four absorptance peaks with centerwavelengths at about 415 nm, about 478 nm, about 574 nm, and about 715nm. Relative chroma profiles and a chromaticity diagram for the examplefilter are shown in FIGS. 12A, 12B and 13. The relative chroma profileshown in FIG. 12A shows that the optical filter of FIG. 11 provides asubstantial increase in chroma in at least four spectral windowscompared to a neutral filter having the same integrated lighttransmittance within each 30 nm stimulus band as within eachcorresponding band of the optical filter shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 12Bshows a percentage difference in chroma between the output of theoptical filter of FIG. 11 and the output of a filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light within each stimulusband as the optical filter of FIG. 11, wherein the input is a 30 nmuniform intensity stimulus and the horizontal axis indicates the centerwavelength of each stimulus band.

Many other variations in the location and number of absorptance peaksare possible. For example, some embodiments significantly attenuatelight between about 558 nm and about 580 nm by providing a peak at about574 nm and adding an additional peak at about 561 nm. Such embodimentscan provide substantially greater chroma in the green region, includingat wavelengths near about 555 nm.

In certain embodiments, an optical filter increases chroma in thevisible spectrum by increasing the degree to which light within thebandwidth of each absorptance peak is attenuated. The degree of lightattenuation within the spectral bandwidth of an absorptance peak can becharacterized by an “attenuation factor” defined as the integratedabsorptance peak area within the spectral bandwidth of the absorptancepeak divided by the spectral bandwidth of the absorptance peak. Anexample of an absorptance peak with an attenuation factor of 1 is asquare wave. Such an absorptance peak attenuates substantially all lightwithin its spectral bandwidth and substantially no light outside itsspectral bandwidth. In contrast, an absorptance peak with an attenuationfactor of less than 0.5 attenuates less than half of the light withinits spectral bandwidth and can attenuate a significant amount of lightoutside its spectral bandwidth. It may not be possible to make anoptical filter having an absorptance peak with an attenuation factor ofexactly 1, although it is possible to design an optical filter having anabsorptance peak with an attenuation factor that is close to 1.

In certain embodiments, an optical filter is configured to have one ormore absorptance peaks with an attenuation factor close to 1. Many otherconfigurations are possible. In some embodiments, an optical filter hasone or more absorptance peaks (or transmittance valleys) with anattenuation factor greater than or equal to about 0.8, greater than orequal to about 0.9, greater than or equal to about 0.95, greater than orequal to about 0.98, between about 0.8 and about 0.99, greater than orequal to about 0.8 and less than 1, or between any of the otherforegoing values. Any combination of one or more of the foregoinglimitations on attenuation factor can be called “attenuation factorcriteria.” In certain embodiments, the attenuation factor of eachabsorptance peak in an optical filter meets one or more of theattenuation factor criteria. In some embodiments, the attenuation factorof each absorptance peak having a maximum absorptance over a certainabsorptance threshold in an optical filter meets one or more of theattenuation factor criteria. The absorptance threshold can be about 0.5,about 0.7, about 0.9, about 1, between 0.5 and 1, or another value. Itis understood that while certain spectral features are described hereinwith reference to an optical filter, each of the spectral features canequally apply to the spectral profile of a lens containing the opticalfilter, unless indicated otherwise.

In some embodiments, an optical filter has absorptance peaks in each offour spectral bands, each of which has an attenuation factor greaterthan or equal to about 0.95. Because it is rare to observe monochromaticlight in the physical world, some narrow bands of light can be nearly orcompletely blocked out without significant detriment to the overallvariety of perceived spectral colors in the natural world. In otherwords, the optical filter can be employed in everyday vision without theloss of any substantial visual information. A spectral absorptanceprofile of an example optical filter having these attributes is shown inFIG. 14. Relative chroma profiles and a chromaticity diagram for thesame optical filter are shown in FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 16. The relativechroma profiles shown in FIG. 15A include the chroma profile of aneutral filter having the same integrated light transmittance withineach 30 nm stimulus band as within each corresponding band of theoptical filter shown in FIG. 14, indicated by a thicker black line, andthe chroma profile of the wavelength-dependent filter shown in FIG. 14,which is indicated by a thinner black line and is generally higher thanthe neutral filter profile. FIG. 15B shows a percentage difference inchroma between the output of the optical filter of FIG. 14 and theoutput of a filter that uniformly attenuates the same average percentageof light within each stimulus band as the optical filter of FIG. 14,wherein the input is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulus and thehorizontal axis indicates the center wavelength of each stimulus band.

In some embodiments, an optical filter has one or more absorptance peakswith a bandwidth that is at least partially within a chroma enhancementwindow. The width of the chroma enhancement window can be between about22 nm and about 45 nm, between about 20 nm and about 50 nm, greater thanor equal to about 20 nm, greater than or equal to about 15 nm, oranother suitable bandwidth range. In certain embodiments, an opticalfilter is configured such that every absorptance peak with anattenuation factor greater than or equal to an absorptance threshold hasa bandwidth within a chroma enhancement window. For example, thebandwidth of each of the absorptance peaks can be greater than or equalto about 10 nm, greater than or equal to about 15 nm, greater than orequal to about 20 nm, greater than or equal to about 22 nm, less than orequal to about 60 nm, less than or equal to about 50 nm, less than orequal to about 40 nm, between about 10 nm and about 60 nm, between about20 nm and about 45 nm, or between any of the other foregoing values.

Variations in the bandwidth (e.g., the FWHM value) and in the slopes ofthe sides of an absorptance peak can have marked effects on chroma.Generally, increases in the FWHM and/or slopes of the chroma-enhancingpeaks are accompanied by increases in chroma and vice-versa, in the caseof chroma-lowering peaks. In FIGS. 17, 18A and 18B, example opticalfilters are shown where the FWHM and slopes of an absorptance peak areseparately varied. The effects of these variations on chroma are shownin the accompanying chroma profiles in FIGS. 18A-18B and 20A-20B. InFIG. 17, an overlay of absorptance peaks centered at 478 nm for threedifferent filters F1, F2, and F3 is shown. The absorptance peaks haveequal side slopes and varying FWHM values, with filter F1 having thelowest FWHM value and filter F3 having the highest FWHM value. Therelative chroma profile in FIG. 18A shows the effect of the filters F1,F2, and F3 shown in FIG. 17 on chroma. The absorptance and chromaprofiles of each of the filters F1, F2, and F3 are shown with the samecorresponding line style in each graph, with a neutral filter includedas a thick line in FIG. 18A. FIG. 18B shows a percentage difference inchroma between the output of the three optical filters F1, F2, and F3 ofFIG. 17 and the output of a filter that uniformly attenuates the sameaverage percentage of light within each stimulus band as the opticalfilters of FIG. 17, wherein the input in each case is the same 30 nmuniform intensity stimulus and the horizontal axis indicates the centerwavelength of each stimulus band.

FIG. 19 shows an overlay of three absorptance peaks centered at 478 nm,with equal FWHM and varying slopes. FIG. 20A shows the effect of thefilters F4, F5, and F6 shown in FIG. 19 on chroma, with a neutral filteragain included as a thick solid line. FIG. 20B shows a percentagedifference in chroma between the output of the three optical filters F4,F5, and F6 of FIG. 19 and the output of a filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light within each stimulusband as the optical filters of FIG. 19, wherein the input in each caseis the same 30 nm uniform intensity stimulus and the horizontal axisindicates the center wavelength of each stimulus band.

Returning to the optical filter shown in FIG. 14, the outer twoabsorptance peaks centered at 415 nm and 715 nm have outside slopes(i.e., at the lower limit of the 415 nm peak and at the upper limit ofthe 715 nm peak) that affect light wavelengths at generally the fringesof the visible spectrum. In some embodiments, the absorptance profilesof these peaks can be altered to significantly, mostly, or almostentirely attenuate light at wavelengths outside of about the 400 nm to700 nm range, which can be regarded as the dominant portion of thevisible range. The spectral absorptance profile of an example opticalfilter having these attributes is shown in FIG. 21. Relative chromaprofiles and the chromaticity diagram for the same optical filter areshown in FIGS. 22A, 22B, and 23. FIG. 22B shows a percentage differencein chroma between the output of the optical filter of FIG. 21 and theoutput of a filter that uniformly attenuates the same average percentageof light within each stimulus band as the optical filter of FIG. 21,wherein the input is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulus and thehorizontal axis indicates the center wavelength of each stimulus band.

By controlling chroma according to the techniques disclosed herein, thechroma of one or more color bands can also be decreased in situationswhere less colorfulness in those color bands is desired. In someembodiments, an optical filter can be configured to decrease chroma inone or more color bands and increase chroma in other color bands. Forexample, eyewear designed for use while hunting ducks can include one ormore lenses with an optical filter configured to lower the chroma of ablue background and increase the chroma for green and brown feathers ofa duck in flight. More generally, an optical filter can be designed tobe activity-specific by providing relatively lower chroma in one or morespectral regions associated with a specific background (e.g., theground, the sky, an athletic field or court, a combination, etc.) andproviding relatively high chroma in one or more spectral regionsassociated with a specific foreground or object (e.g., a ball).Alternatively, an optical filter can have an activity-specificconfiguration by providing increased chroma in both a backgroundspectral region and an object spectral region.

The ability to identify and discern moving objects is generally called“Dynamic Visual Acuity.” An increase in chroma in the spectral region ofthe moving object is expected to improve this quality because increasesin chroma are generally associated with higher color contrast.Furthermore, the emphasis and de-emphasis of specific colors can furtherimprove Dynamic Visual Acuity.

In some embodiments, an optical filter is configured to account forvariation in luminous efficiency over the visible spectrum. Byaccounting for luminous efficiency, the filter can compensate fordifferences in relative sensitivities at different wavelengths of thehuman eye to various color bands can be compared. Luminous efficiencyover the visible spectrum, consistent with the Stockman and Sharpe conesensitivity data, is shown in FIG. 24.

In certain embodiments, an optical filter is configured to selectivelyincrease chroma in the red wavelengths at which the human eye is mostsensitive. For example, the red color band can be described as thespectral range extending between about 625 nm and about 700 nm. Whenlooking at the luminous efficiency function shown in FIG. 24, it isapparent that the eye is significantly more sensitive to red lightbetween about 625 nm and 660 nm than at longer wavelengths.

In certain embodiments, an optical filter includes one or more organicdyes that provide absorptance peaks with a relatively high attenuationfactor. For example, in some embodiments, a lens has an optical filterincorporating organic dyes supplied by Exciton of Dayton, Ohio. At leastsome organic dyes supplied by Exciton are named according to theapproximate center wavelength and/or peak location of their absorptancepeak.

Filters incorporating organic dyes can be fabricated using any suitabletechnique. In some embodiments, a sufficient quantity of one or moreorganic dyes is used to lower transmittance in one or more spectralregions to less than or equal to about 1%. To achieve peaktransmittances under 1% in 1.75 mm thick polycarbonate lenses, dyes canbe mixed into a batch of polycarbonate resin. If the mixture includes 5lbs of polycarbonate resin, the following loadings of Exciton dyes canbe used for an optical filter: 44 mg of ABS 407, 122 mg of ABS 473, 117mg of ABS 574, and 63 mg of ABS 659. In the foregoing example, theratios of dye loadings in polycarbonate can be generalized as follows:out of 1000 total units of dye, the filter could include about 130 unitsof violet-absorbing dye, about 350 units of blue-absorbing dye, about340 units of green-absorbing dye, and about 180 units of deepred-absorbing dye.

In the same quantity of polycarbonate resin, the following loadings ofExciton dyes can be used for an optical filter: 44 mg of ABS 407, 122 mgof ABS 473, 117 mg of ABS 574, and 41 mg of ABS 647. In the foregoingexample, the ratios of dye loadings in polycarbonate can be generalizedas follows: out of 995 total units of dye, the filter could includeabout 135 units of violet-absorbing dye, about 375 units ofblue-absorbing dye, about 360 units of green-absorbing dye, and about125 units of red-absorbing dye. In certain embodiments, a lens can becreated from the resin and dye mixture by a casting process, a moldingprocess, or any other suitable process.

Other dyes for plastic exist that can also provide substantial increasesin chroma. For example, Crysta-Lyn Chemical Company of Binghamton, N.Y.offers DLS 402A dye, with an absorptance peak at 402 nm. In someembodiments, the DLS 402A dye can be used in place of the Exciton ABS407 dye in the formulations described above. Crysta-Lyn also offers DLS461B dye that provides an absorptance peak at 461 nm. DLS 461B dye canbe used in place of the Exciton ABS 473 dye in the formulationsdescribed above. Crysta-Lyn DLS 564B dye can be used in place of theExciton ABS 574 dye in those formulations, while Crysta-Lyn DLS 654B dyecan be used in place of Exciton ABS 659 dye. In some embodiments, thedye can be incorporated into one or more lens components, and thedecision regarding which lens components include the dye can be based onproperties, such as stability or performance factors, of each specificdye.

In another example, an optical filter is designed with relative amountsof certain dyes. The magnitude of absorptance peaks can be selected byadjusting the absolute mass loading of the dyes while maintaining therelative relationships between loadings of different dyes. For example,in a particular embodiment, an organic dye optical filter includes: 70mg of Exciton ABS 473 dye, 108 mg of Exciton ABS 561 dye, 27 mg ofExciton ABS 574 dye, and 41 mg of Exciton ABS 659. The ratios of dyeloadings in polyurethane can be generalized as follows: out of 1000total units of dye, the filter could include about 280 units ofblue-absorbing dye, about 440 units of yellow-green-absorbing dye, about110 units of green-absorbing dye, and about 170 units of deepred-absorbing dye. A lens was cast using the foregoing dye loadings in251 g of polyurethane. The resulting lens had a thickness of 1.9 mm.Loading levels can be adjusted to account for the characteristics of theparticular base material used. For example, the loading levels can besomewhat or slightly higher when using a material with a lower density,such as certain types of polycarbonate. Likewise, the loading levels canbe somewhat or slightly lower when a higher density material is used.

As discussed above, a lens with a chroma enhancing optical filter can beconfigured to provide multiple spectral regions of increased chromacompared to a neutral filter with the same average attenuation withineach 30 nm stimulus band as the lens with a chroma enhancing opticalfilter. As discussed above, a lens with a chroma enhancing opticalfilter can comprise one or more organic dyes. The one or more organicdyes can increase or decrease chroma in one or more spectral regions.For example, a lens a chroma enhancing optical filter comprising one ormore organic dyes can be configured to increase chroma in five or morespectral ranges. The spectral ranges over which an optical filterincreases or decreases chroma can be called chroma enhancement windows(CEWs).

In some embodiments, CEWs include portions of the visible spectrum inwhich an optical filter provides a substantial change in chroma comparedto a neutral filter having the same average attenuation within each 30nm stimulus band, as perceived by a person with normal vision. Incertain cases, a substantial enhancement of chroma can be seen when afilter provides a chroma increase greater than or equal to about 2%compared to the neutral filter. In other cases, a chroma increasegreater than or equal to about 3% or greater than or equal to about 5%compared to the neutral filter is considered a substantial increase.Whether a chroma change represents a substantial increase can depend onthe spectral region in which the increase is provided. For example, asubstantial chroma enhancement can include an increase in chroma greaterthan or equal to about 6% over a neutral filter when the visual stimulusis centered at about 560 nm. A substantial chroma enhancement caninclude an increase in chroma greater than or equal to about 3% over aneutral filter when the visual stimulus is centered at about 660 nm. Asubstantial chroma enhancement can include an increase in chroma greaterthan or equal to about 15% over a neutral filter when the visualstimulus is centered at about 570 nm. Accordingly, the amount of changein chroma relative to the neutral filter that is considered substantialcan differ depending on the spectral range of the CEW.

In certain embodiments, a substantial chroma enhancement is provided byan optical filter configured to increase chroma in one or more CEWs overa neutral filter without any significant decrease in chroma compared toa neutral filter within the one or more CEWs. A substantial chromaenhancement can also be provided by an optical filter configured toincrease chroma in one or more CEWs over a neutral filter without anysignificant decrease in chroma compared to a neutral filter within aparticular spectral range, such as, for example, between about 420 nmand about 650 nm.

FIGS. 24 through 30 illustrate various CEW configurations for a varietyof chroma-enhancing optical filters. The spectral ranges of the CEWs cancorrespond to the spectral regions where an optical filter exhibitssubstantially changed chroma compared to a neutral filter in one or moreof FIGS. 9A, 9B, 12A, 12B, 15A, 15B, 18A, 18B, 20A, 20B, 22A and 22B.The particular CEW configurations disclosed here are non-limitingexamples that illustrate the wide variety of lens or eyewearconfigurations that exist.

One example of an optical filter CEW configuration is shown in FIG. 25.In this example, CEW₁ encompasses a spectral range of about 440 nm toabout 510 nm. CEW₂ encompasses a spectral range of about 540 nm to about600 nm. CEW₃ encompasses a spectral range of about 630 nm to about 660nm. Each CEW can be defined as a spectral range within which a lens oreyewear is configured to provide chroma enhancement. Alternatively, thelower end of one or more CEWs can encompass a wavelength above which thelens or eyewear provides chroma enhancement. The upper end of one ormore CEWs can encompass a wavelength below which the lens or eyewearprovides chroma enhancement. In some embodiments, the average increasein chroma within CEW₁ compared to a neutral filter having the sameaverage attenuation within each 30 nm stimulus band is greater than orequal to about 20%. The average increase in chroma within CEW₂ comparedto the neutral filter can be greater than or equal to about 3%. Theaverage increase in chroma within CEW₃ compared to a neutral filter canbe greater than or equal to about 5%.

Another example of an optical filter CEW configuration is shown in FIG.26. CEW_(1A) encompasses a spectral range of about 440 nm to about 480nm. CEW_(1B) encompasses a spectral range of about 490 nm to about 510nm. The average increase in chroma compared to a neutral filter can begreater than or equal to about 15% for the CEW_(1A) region and greaterthan or equal to about 15% for the CEW_(1B) region.

A further example of an optical filter CEW configuration is shown inFIG. 27, which is a configuration in which CEW_(2A) encompasses aspectral range of about 540 nm to about 570 nm. FIG. 28 illustrates anadditional embodiment in which an optical filter provides a CEWconfiguration including CEW_(1A), CEW_(1B), CEW_(2A), and CEW₃. Theaverage increase in chroma compared to a neutral filter can be greaterthan or equal to about 4% for the CEW_(2A) spectral region, for example.

FIG. 29 illustrates an example of an optical filter CEW configurationwith an additional enhancement window, CEW_(2B). The CEW_(2B) windowencompasses a spectral range between about 580 nm and about 600 nm. Theaverage increase in chroma compared to a neutral filter can be greaterthan or equal to about 2% for the CEW_(2B) spectral region, for example.FIG. 30 illustrates the relative chroma enhancement of an optical filterconfigured to provide five or more chroma enhancement windows,including: CEW_(2A), CEW_(2B), CEW_(1A), CEW_(1B), and CEW₃. Each ofFIGS. 24 through 30 illustrates a non-limiting example of an opticalfilter CEW configuration, and this disclosure should not be interpretedas limited to any specific configuration or combination ofconfigurations.

In certain embodiments, an optical filter includes one or more chromaenhancement dyes that provide absorptance peaks with a relatively highattenuation factor. As used herein, the term “chroma enhancement dyes”includes dyes that, when loaded in a lens in sufficient quantity,produces a discernable and/or substantial chroma-enhancing effect in atleast certain types of scenes viewed by a wearer of eyewearincorporating the lens. Chroma enhancement dyes include dyes thatfeature an absorptance or absorbance peak with a high attenuation factor(e.g., greater than or equal to about 0.8, greater than or equal toabout 0.9, or greater than or equal to about 0.95) and a centerwavelength and/or peak position located within at least one chromaenhancement window. In some embodiments, an optical filter for chromaenhancing eyewear includes two or more of the following: violet chromaenhancement dye, blue chroma enhancement dye, green chroma enhancementdye, yellow chroma enhancement dye, and red chroma enhancement dye. Insome embodiments, a chroma-enhancing lens includes an optical filterincorporating one or more dyes that are thermally unstable at typicallens body molding temperatures.

Violet chroma enhancement dyes include dyes that have a relatively sharpabsorptance peak with a wavelength between about 390 nm and about 440nm, between about 405 nm and about 455 nm, between about 400 nm andabout 420 nm, or between about 405 nm and 425 nm. Examples of such dyesinclude the Exciton ABS 407 dye, the Crysta-Lyn DLS 402A dye, and a dyethat has one or more relatively sharp absorptance peaks within theviolet portion of the spectrum. When incorporated into a chromaenhancing filter, chroma enhancement dyes can provide one or moreabsorptance peaks having any of the characteristics described herein,such as, for example, a bandwidth of greater than or equal to about 15nm or greater than or equal to about 20 nm. Absorptance peaks that arerelatively sharp can include absorptance peaks with a relatively highattenuation factor. Examples of relatively sharp absorptance peaksinclude peaks with an attenuation factor greater than or equal to about0.8, greater than or equal to about 0.85, greater than or equal to about0.9, or greater than or equal to about 0.95. Dyes that have relativelysharp absorptance peaks include dyes that can be used to create one ormore spectral features of at least some of the chroma enhancing filtersdisclosed herein. Violet chroma enhancement dye can have a dye strengthgreater than or equal to 50 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 100 L/g·cm,greater than or equal to 200 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 400L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 490 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 500L/g·cm, less than or equal to 1000 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 2000L/g·cm, or a dye strength within a range between any of the precedingvalues, when measured in a methylene chloride solution of the violetchroma enhancement dye.

Blue chroma enhancement dyes include dyes that have a relatively sharpabsorptance peak with a wavelength between about 440 nm and about 490nm, between about 445 nm and about 480 nm, between about 460 nm andabout 480 nm, or between about 450 nm and 475 nm. In some embodiments, ablue chroma enhancement dye, when incorporated into an optical filter,is configured to produce an absorptance peak with a bandwidth of greaterthan or equal to about 15 nm or greater than or equal to about 20 nm.Examples of such dyes include the Exciton ABS 473 dye, the Crysta-LynDLS 461B dye, and a dye that has one or more relatively sharpabsorptance peaks within the blue portion of the spectrum. In someembodiments, a blue chroma enhancement dye is a dye that has arelatively sharp absorptance peak within one or more of the chromaenhancement windows CEW₁, CEW_(1A), or CEW_(1B). Blue chroma enhancementdye can have a dye strength greater than or equal to 50 L/g·cm, greaterthan or equal to 100 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 150 L/g·cm,greater than or equal to 175 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 200 L/g·cm,less than or equal to 500 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 1000 L/g·cm, ora dye strength within a range between any of the preceding values, whenmeasured in a methylene chloride solution of the blue chroma enhancementdye.

Green chroma enhancement dyes include dyes that have a relatively sharpabsorptance peak with a wavelength between about 520 nm and about 570nm, between about 558 nm and about 580 nm, between about 540 nm andabout 580 nm, or between about 540 nm and 565 nm. In some embodiments, agreen chroma enhancement dye, when incorporated into an optical filter,is configured to produce an absorptance peak with a bandwidth of greaterthan or equal to about 15 nm or greater than or equal to about 20 nm.Examples of such dyes include the Exciton ABS 561 dye, the Crysta-LynDLS 564B dye, and a dye that has one or more relatively sharpabsorptance peaks within the green portion of the spectrum. In someembodiments, a green chroma enhancement dye is a dye that has arelatively sharp absorptance peak within one or more of the chromaenhancement windows CEW₂ or CEW_(2A). Green chroma enhancement dye canhave a dye strength greater than or equal to 10 L/g·cm, greater than orequal to 20 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 40 L/g·cm, greater than orequal to 44 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 50 L/g·cm, less than or equalto 100 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 500 L/g·cm, or a dye strengthwithin a range between any of the preceding values, when measured in amethylene chloride solution of the green chroma enhancement dye.

Yellow chroma enhancement dyes include dyes that have a relatively sharpabsorptance peak with a wavelength between about 570 nm and about 590nm, between about 580 nm and about 600 nm, or between about 570 nm andabout 580 nm. In some embodiments, a yellow chroma enhancement dye, whenincorporated into an optical filter, is configured to produce anabsorptance peak with a bandwidth of greater than or equal to about 15nm or greater than or equal to about 20 nm. Examples of such dyesinclude the Exciton ABS 574 dye, and a dye that has one or morerelatively sharp absorptance peaks within the yellow portion of thespectrum. In some embodiments, a yellow chroma enhancement dye is a dyethat has a relatively sharp absorptance peak within one of the chromaenhancement windows CEW₂ or CEW_(2B). Yellow chroma enhancement dye canhave a dye strength greater than or equal to 50 L/g·cm, greater than orequal to 100 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 150 L/g·cm, greater thanor equal to 183 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 200 L/g·cm, less than orequal to 500 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 1000 L/g·cm, or a dyestrength within a range between any of the preceding values, whenmeasured in a methylene chloride solution of the yellow chromaenhancement dye.

Red chroma enhancement dyes include dyes that have a relatively sharpabsorptance peak with a wavelength between about 600 nm and about 680nm, between about 630 nm and about 660 nm, between about 640 nm andabout 670 nm, or between about 600 nm and 660 nm. In some embodiments, ared chroma enhancement dye, when incorporated into an optical filter, isconfigured to produce an absorptance peak with a bandwidth of greaterthan or equal to about 15 nm or greater than or equal to about 20 nm.Examples of such dyes include the Exciton ABS 659 dye, the Crysta-LynDLS 654B dye, and a dye that has one or more relatively sharpabsorptance peaks within the red portion of the spectrum. In someembodiments, a red chroma enhancement dye is a dye that has a relativelysharp absorptance peak within the chroma enhancement window CEW₃. Redchroma enhancement dye can have a dye strength greater than or equal to100 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 200 L/g·cm, greater than or equalto 300 L/g·cm, greater than or equal to 320 L/g·cm, less than or equalto 400 L/g·cm, less than or equal to 500 L/g·cm, less than or equal to1000 L/g·cm, or a dye strength within a range between any of thepreceding values, when measured in a chloroform solution of the redchroma enhancement dye.

Information related to certain example chroma enhancement dyes from theCrysta-Lyn Chemical Company is shown in Table D.

TABLE D Example dyes Peak λ (nm) Melting Pt. (° C.) Blue chromaenhancement dye 461 257 Green chroma enhancement dye 564 242 Red chromaenhancement dye 654 223Activity Specific Optical Filters

In some embodiments, an optical filter is configured to enhance objectvisibility while preserving the natural appearance of viewed scenes.Such optical filters (and eyewear that include such filters) can beconfigured for a wide range of recreational, sporting, professional, andother activities. In certain embodiments, eyewear and optical filtersprovide one or more CEWs corresponding to a specific activity. A filtercan include one or more CEWs in a portion of the visible spectrum inwhich an object of interest, such as, for example, a golf ball, emits orreflects a substantial spectral stimulus. When referring to the spectralstimulus of an object of interest, a corresponding CEW can be referredto as the object spectral window. When referring to spectral stimulus ofa background behind an object, a corresponding CEW can be referred to asthe background spectral window. Moreover, when referring to the spectralstimulus of the general surroundings, the spectral window can bereferred to as the surrounding spectral window. An optical filter can beconfigured such that one or more edges of an absorbance peak lie withinat least one spectral window. In this way, an optical filter can enhancechroma in the spectral ranges corresponding to a given spectral stimulus(e.g. object, background, or surroundings).

In such implementations, the optical filter is configured to enhanceobject visibility while preserving the natural appearance of viewedscenes. Such implementations of optical filters (and implementations ofeyewear that include such filters) can be configured for a wide range ofrecreational, sporting, professional, and other activities. For example,chroma-enhancing, enhanced-visibility filters can be provided foractivities that include viewing objects against water such as fishing,sailing, rowing, surfing, etc. As another example, chroma-enhancing,enhanced-visibility filters can be provided for activities that includeviewing objects against grass such as baseball, tennis, soccer, cricket,lacrosse, field hockey, etc. As another example, chroma-enhancing,enhanced-visibility filters can be provided for activities that includeviewing objects indoors in artificial illumination such as badminton,basketball, target shooting, racquetball, squash, table tennis, etc. Asanother example, chroma-enhancing, enhanced-visibility filters can beprovided for activities that include viewing objects against snow suchas skiing, ice hockey. As another example, chroma-enhancing,enhanced-visibility filters can be provided for activities that includeviewing objects outdoors in sunlight such as skiing, baseball, golf,shooting, hunting, soccer, etc.

Implementations of chroma-enhancing, enhanced-visibility filters thatare configured for activities that include viewing objects against aparticular background can have a common characteristic. For example,chroma-enhancing, enhanced-visibility filters that are provided foractivities that include viewing objects against water can be configuredto be polarizing to reduce glare resulting from light reflected from thewater. As another example, chroma-enhancing, enhanced-visibility filtersthat are provided for activities that include viewing objects againstwater can be configured to attenuate light in the blue and/or blue-greenspectral range to make objects stand-out against water. As anotherexample, chroma-enhancing, enhanced-visibility filters that are providedfor activities that include viewing objects against grass can beconfigured to attenuate light in the green spectral range to makeobjects stand-out against grass.

Specific activities can be grouped in more than one category. Forexample, baseball is played on grass as well as in different lightingconditions. Thus, optical filters can be further customized to provideenhanced visibility of the object under different conditions. Forexample, for sports such as golf, baseball and other racquet sports, theoptical filter can include an object chroma enhancement window selectedto increase the chroma of natural reflected light orwavelength-converted light produced by a fluorescent agent in abaseball, tennis ball, badminton birdie, or volleyball or light that ispreferentially reflected by these objects. Background windows andspectral-width windows can be provided so that backgrounds are apparent,scenes appear natural, and the wearer's focus and depth perception areimproved. For sports played on various surfaces, or in differentsettings such as tennis or volleyball, different background windows canbe provided for play on different surfaces. For example, tennis iscommonly played on grass courts or clay courts, and filters can beconfigured for each surface, if desired. As another example, ice hockeyis played on an icy surface that is provided with awavelength-conversion agent or colorant, and lenses can be configuredfor viewing a hockey puck with respect to such ice. Outdoor volleyballbenefits from accurate viewing of a volleyball against a blue sky, andthe background filter can be selected to permit accurate backgroundviewing while enhancing chroma in outdoor lighting. A differentconfiguration can be provided for indoor volleyball.

Eyewear that includes such filters can be activity-specific,surface-specific, or setting-specific. In addition, tinted eyewear canbe provided for activities other than sports in which it is desirable toidentify, locate, or track an object against backgrounds associated withthe activity. Some representative activities include dentistry, surgery,bird watching, fishing, or search and rescue operations. Such filterscan also be provided in additional configurations such as filters forstill and video cameras, or as viewing screens that are placed for theuse of spectators or other observers. Filters can be provided as lenses,unitary lenses, or as face shields. For example, a filter for hockey canbe included in a face shield.

Various embodiments of lenses including one or more filters (e.g.,static and/or variable attenuation filters) that provide chromaenhancement for certain example activities are described below withreferences to FIGS. 31A-35C. The one or more filters can include chromaenhancement dyes and/or color enhancing chromophores as described hereinand/or as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0141693 which isincorporated by reference herein for all that it discloses and is madepart of this specification. In various embodiments, the lenses thatprovide chroma enhancement for certain example activities can include athin CE wafer integrated with a molded base layer using methods such asinsert molding, 2-shot injection molding, multi-shot injection moldingor casting as discussed above. In various embodiments, the lenses thatprovide chroma enhancement for certain example activities can include afunctional wafer system (e.g., a CE wafer/polarizing wafer) integratedwith a molded base layer using methods such as insert molding, 2-shotinjection molding, multi-shot injection molding or casting as discussedabove. In various embodiments, the lenses including one or more filtersthat provide chroma enhancement for certain example activities caninclude coatings and/or thin film layers disposed on a substratematerial, etc. In various embodiments, the one or more filters caninclude dielectric stacks, multilayer interference coatings, rare earthoxide additives, organic dyes, or a combination of multiple polarizationfilters as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,902, the entire contents ofwhich are incorporated by reference herein and made a part of thisspecification. Some embodiments of interference coatings are sold byOakley, Inc. of Foothill Ranch, Calif., U.S.A. under the brand nameIridium®. The example lens embodiments disclosed herein suitable for usein other applications than those indicated when such applicationsinvolve environments with similar colors of interest. The embodiments ofthe one or more filters for the sports activities are examples, and itis understood that other suitable filters can be used for the exemplaryactivities described herein.

A. Chroma Enhancing Lens for Outdoor Activities

Various embodiments of lenses used for outdoor activities (e.g., trailrunning, hiking, target shooting, hunting, etc.) preferably reduce glare(e.g., glare resulting from sunlight on a bright sunny day).Accordingly, various embodiments of lenses used for outdoor activitiescan include coatings, layers or films that reduce glare. The glarereducing components, coatings, layers or films can include polarizingwafers, polarizing films and/or coatings to filter out polarized light.Various embodiments of lenses suitable for outdoor activities caninclude lens components including optical filters with one or morechroma enhancing dyes (e.g., CE wafer) that transmit different colors inthe visible spectral range with different values to create differentviewing conditions. For example, some embodiments of lenses suitable foroutdoor activities can transmit all colors of the visible spectrum suchthat there is little distortion on bright sunny days. As anotherexample, some embodiments of lenses suitable for outdoor activities cantransmit colors in the yellow and red spectral ranges and attenuateand/or absorb colors in the blue and green spectral ranges. Variousembodiments of lenses used for shooting can also be tinted (e.g., grey,green, amber, brown or yellow) to increase contrast between the trailsand the trees, reduce eye strain and/or for aesthetic purpose.

FIGS. 31A-31C illustrate the effective spectral response of one or morefilters that can be included in an embodiment of a lens that is suitablefor outdoor activities. FIG. 31B illustrates the effective absorbanceprofile of an implementation of an optical filter that can be includedin an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for outdoor activities.FIGS. 31A and 31C show the effective transmittance profile and therelative absorbance profile of the same implementation of the opticalfilter. The implementation of the optical filter is configured such thatthe effective transmittance profile through the one or more filters hasone or more “notches”. The presence of the notches in the transmittanceprofile creates distinct “pass-bands”. Wavelengths in each of thedistinct pass-bands are transmitted with lower attenuation thanwavelengths in the notches. The notches in the transmittance profile aredepicted as “peaks” in the corresponding absorbance profile depicted inFIG. 31B. For example, as observed from FIG. 31B, the effectiveabsorbance profile of the optical filter implementation has a first peakbetween about 460 nm and 495 nm and a second peak between about 560 nmand 590 nm.

Referring to FIG. 31B, it is observed that the effective absorbanceprofile of the optical filter implementation included in an embodimentof a lens that is suitable for outdoor activities has a first “valley”in the wavelength range between about 410 nm and about 460 nm; a second“valley” in the wavelength range between about 500 nm and about 560 nm;and a third “valley” in the wavelength range between about 600 nm andabout 660 nm. Wavelengths in the first, second and third valleys havereduced absorbance as compared to the wavelengths in the vicinity of thefirst and second peaks. The valleys in the absorbance profile correspondto the pass-bands in the transmittance profile. It is noted from FIG.31B that the first peak has a full width at 80% maximum (FW80M) of about20-35 nm around a central wavelength of about 475 nm and the second peakhas a FW80M of about 15-25 nm around a central wavelength of about 574nm.

It is observed from FIG. 31B that (i) the value of the optical densityfor wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nm is about100%-120% higher as compared to the average value of the optical densityfor wavelengths in the first valley; and (ii) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nmis about 80%-100% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the second valley. Thus, wavelengths in thevicinity of the first peak around 475 nm are attenuated by about100%-120% more on an average as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the first valley and by about 80%-100% more on an average as comparedto wavelengths in the vicinity of the second valley.

It is further observed from FIG. 31B that (i) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 574 nmis about 50% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the second valley; and (ii) the value of theoptical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peakaround 574 nm is about 350% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 574 nm areattenuated by about 50% more on an average as compared to wavelengths inthe vicinity of the second valley and by about 350% more on an averageas compared to wavelengths in the vicinity of the third valley.

It is observed from FIG. 31B that the second peak has a narrowerbandwidth as compared to the first peak. Furthermore, the optical filterimplementation included in the embodiment of the lens suitable foroutdoor activities can be configured to attenuate light havingwavelengths less than 400 nm (e.g., in the ultraviolet range). Thus, theembodiment of the lens suitable for suitable for outdoor activities canreduce the amount of ultraviolet light incident on a person's eyesthereby providing safety and health benefits. The attenuation factor ofthe absorbance peaks in the blue spectral region (e.g., between about440 nm and 490 nm) and green spectral region (e.g., between about 550 nmand about 590 nm) can be greater than or equal to about 0.8 and lessthan 1 in various implementations of optical filters adapted to viewobjects on the surface of water or underwater. Without any loss ofgenerality, the attenuation factor of an absorbance peak can be obtainedby dividing an integrated absorptance peak area within the spectralbandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of the absorbance peak.

The transmittance profile depicted in FIG. 31A corresponds to the sameoptical filter implementation whose absorbance profile is depicted inFIG. 31B. Accordingly, the effective transmittance profile of theoptical filter implementation includes a first pass-band correspondingto first valley of the absorbance profile, a second pass-bandcorresponding to the second valley of the absorbance profile and a thirdpass-band corresponding to the third valley absorbance profile. Thefirst and the second pass-bands are separated by a first notchcorresponding to the first peak of the absorbance profile. The secondand the third pass-bands are separated by a second notch correspondingto the second peak of the absorbance profile.

It is observed from the transmittance profile that the first pass-bandis configured to transmit between 10%-40% of light in the violet-bluespectral ranges (e.g., between about 420 nm and about 460 nm); thesecond pass-band configured to transmit between about 20% and about 30%of the light in the green-yellow spectral ranges (e.g., between about500 nm and about 560 nm); and the third pass-band configured to transmitbetween about 70% and about 90% of the light in the orange-red spectralranges (e.g., between about 600 nm and about 700 nm). It is furtherobserved from FIG. 31A that the second and the third pass-bands have asubstantially flat-top such that substantially all the wavelengths ineach of the second and the third pass-bands are transmitted with almostequal intensity. Accordingly, the FW80M of the second pass-band is about50-70 nm and the FW80M of the third pass-band is about 40-50 nm.

FIG. 31C illustrates the effective relative absorbance profile of anembodiment of a lens including an optical filter that is suitable foroutdoor activities. The relative absorbance profile is obtained byplotting the term −log₁₀(% T_(λ)/τ_(v)) with respect to the wavelength(λ). The factor % T_(λ) represents the percentage of light transmittedthrough the one or more filters at a wavelength λ and the factor τ_(v)represents luminous transmittance as determined according to a techniquedefined in section 5.6.1 the ANSI Z80.3-2009 specification fornonprescription sunglass and fashion eyewear requirements. It isobserved that the relative absorption has a similar profile as theabsorbance profile depicted in FIG. 31B.

Curve 3601 of FIG. 36A shows a percentage difference in chroma betweenthe output of the optical filter having spectral characteristics asshown in FIGS. 31A-31C and the output of a neutral filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light within each stimulusband as the optical filter having spectral characteristics as shown inFIGS. 31A-31C, wherein the input is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulusand the horizontal axis indicates the center wavelength of each stimulusband. Using the information provided in curve 3601 it was calculatedthat lens suitable for suitable for outdoor activities can provide anaverage chroma increase of about 10% in the spectral bandwidth between440 nm and 480 nm as compared to a neutral filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light as the optical filterwithin the spectral range of 440 nm to 480 nm.

Various embodiments of lenses including one or more filters that providecolor enhancement for outdoor activities as described above can includepolarization wafers, polarization films or layers such that they arepolarized to reduce glare. Various embodiments of lenses including theone or more filters that provide color enhancement for outdooractivities as described above can include dielectric stacks, multilayerinterference coatings, rare earth oxide additives, organic dyes, or acombination of multiple polarization filters as described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,054,902, the entire contents of which are incorporated byreference herein and made a part of this specification for cosmeticpurposes and/or to darken various embodiments of the lenses. Someembodiments of interference coatings are sold by Oakley, Inc. ofFoothill Ranch, Calif., U.S.A. under the brand name Iridium®. Variousembodiments of lenses including the one or more filters that providecolor enhancement for outdoor activities as described can also beconfigured to provide prescription optical power in the range of about±25 Diopters and/or optical magnification as discussed above.

B. Filters to Provide Color Enhancement for Baseball

Various embodiments of lenses used for baseball preferably allow theball player to spot the baseball in different lighting conditions (e.g.,bright lighting on sunny days, diffused lighting on cloudy days, spotlighting and flood lighting for playing at night, etc.). It would alsobe advantageous to include filters that make the baseball stand outagainst the sky and the grassy field in various embodiments of thelenses used for baseball. Additionally, various embodiments of thelenses used for baseball can include wafers, coatings, layers or filmsthat reduce glare (e.g., glare resulting from sunlight on bright sunnydays or spot lights and flood light in the night). The wafers, coatings,layers or films that reduce glare can include polarizing wafers,polarizing films and/or coatings to filter out polarized light,holographic or diffractive elements that are configured to reduce glareand/or diffusing elements. Various embodiments of lenses suitable forbaseball can include lens components including optical filters with oneor more chroma enhancing dyes (e.g., CE wafer) that transmit differentcolors in the visible spectral range with different values to createdifferent viewing conditions. For example, some embodiments of lensesfor baseball can transmit all colors of the visible spectrum such thatthere is little distortion on bright sunny days. As another example,some embodiments of lenses for baseball can transmit colors in theyellow and red spectral ranges and attenuate and/or absorb colors in theblue and green spectral ranges such that the baseball can stand-outagainst the blue sky or the green grass. Various embodiments of lensesused for baseball can also be tinted (e.g., grey, green, amber, brown oryellow) to increase visibility of baseball against the sky or the grass,reduce eye strain and/or for aesthetic purpose.

FIGS. 32A-32C and 33A-33C illustrate the effective spectral response ofimplementations of optical filters that can be included in variousembodiments of lenses suitable for baseball. FIG. 32B illustrates aneffective absorbance profile of an optical filter implementation thatcan be included in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for playersin the outfield. FIG. 33B illustrates the effective absorbance profileof an optical filter implementation that can be included in anembodiment of a lens that is suitable for players in the infield. FIG.32A illustrates the effective transmittance profile of the same opticalfilter implementation that can be included in an embodiment of a lensthat is suitable for players in the outfield. FIG. 33A illustrates theeffective transmittance profile of the same optical filterimplementation that can be included in an embodiment of a lens that issuitable for players in the infield. FIG. 32C illustrates the effectiverelative absorbance profile of the same optical filter implementationthat can be included in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable forplayers in the outfield. FIG. 33C illustrates the effective relativeabsorbance profile of the same optical filter implementation that can beincluded in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for players in theinfield.

The outfield players and infield players play under different lightingconditions and thus would benefit from having lenses tailored to spotthe baseball in their respective lighting conditions. Additionally, itwould be advantageous for outfield players to have the ability to spotthe baseball from a distance. Thus, it would be beneficial if variousembodiments of lenses are configured to have different opticalcharacteristics for infield players and outfield players. For example,since the outfield is usually sunnier than the infield and/or has lessshadows as compared to the infield, it would be advantageous if thelenses configured for the players in the outfield included filters thatreduced glare and overall brightness but transmitted different colors inthe visible spectral range so that the white baseball can be spottedfrom a distance. As another example, it would be advantageous if thelenses configured for the players in the infield included filters thatreduced glare, increased contrast between the blue sky and the greengrass and in general made the white ball and the red stitching on thebaseball stand-out against the field.

As discussed above, the effective absorbance profile depicted in FIGS.32B and 33B exhibits peaks and valleys that correspond to the pass-bandsand notches exhibited by the corresponding effective transmittanceprofile depicted in FIGS. 32A and 32B.

Referring to FIGS. 32B and 33B, the effective absorbance profiles forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the outfield and players in the infield each hasa first peak between about 460 nm and 490 nm, a second peak betweenabout 560 nm and 590 nm and a third peak between about 640 nm and 680nm. The effective absorbance profile for the optical filterimplementation included in embodiments of lenses suitable for players inthe outfield and players in the infield each has a first valley in thewavelength range between about 410 nm and about 460 nm; a second valleyin the wavelength range between about 500 nm and about 560 nm; and athird valley in the wavelength range between about 590 nm and about 640nm. As discussed above, wavelengths in the first, second and thirdvalleys have reduced absorbance as compared to the wavelengths in thevicinity of the first, second and third peaks.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 32B, forthe optical filter implementation included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the outfield, it is observed that the first peakhas a FW80M of about 15-25 nm around a central wavelength of about 474nm, the second peak has a FW80M of about 10-15 nm around a centralwavelength of about 575 nm and the third peak has a FW80M of about 8-15nm around a central wavelength of about 660 nm.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 32B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the outfield, it is observed that (i) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peakaround 475 nm is about 300% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the first valley; (ii) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peakaround 475 nm is about 200% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the second valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nm areattenuated by about 300% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the first valley and by about 200% more as compared to wavelengths inthe vicinity of the second valley.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 32B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the outfield, it is observed that (i) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the secondpeak around 575 nm is about 100% higher as compared to the average valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the second valley; and (ii)the value of the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of thesecond peak around 575 nm is about 150% higher as compared to theaverage value of the optical density for wavelengths in the thirdvalley. Thus, wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 575nm are attenuated by about 100% more as compared to wavelengths in thevicinity of the second valley and by about 150% more as compared towavelengths in the vicinity of the third valley.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 32B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the outfield, it is observed that (i) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the third peakaround 660 nm is about 400% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the third peak around 660 nm areattenuated by about 400% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the third valley.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 33B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the infield, it is observed that the first peakhas a FW80M of about 10-20 nm around a central wavelength of about 475nm, the second peak has a full width at 90% maximum (FW90M) of about8-15 nm around a central wavelength of about 575 nm and the third peakhas a FWHM of about 15-25 nm around a central wavelength of about 660nm.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 33B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the infield, it is observed that (i) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peakaround 475 nm is about 320% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the first valley; (ii) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peakaround 475 nm is about 320% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the second valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nm areattenuated by about 320% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the first and the second valley.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 33B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the infield, it is observed that (i) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the secondpeak around 575 nm is about 50% higher as compared to the average valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the second valley; and (ii)the value of the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of thesecond peak around 575 nm is about 100% higher as compared to theaverage value of the optical density for wavelengths in the thirdvalley. Thus, wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 575nm are attenuated by about 50% more as compared to wavelengths in thevicinity of the second valley and by about 100% more as compared towavelengths in the vicinity of the third valley.

Referring to the effective absorbance profile, depicted in FIG. 33B, forthe optical filter implementations included in embodiments of lensessuitable for players in the infield, it is observed that (i) the valueof the optical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the third peakaround 660 nm is about 320% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the third peak around 660 nm areattenuated by about 320% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the third valley.

Furthermore, the one or more filters included in the embodiment of thelens suitable for baseball players in the outfield and baseball playersin the infield can be configured to attenuate light having wavelengthsless than 400 nm (e.g., in the ultraviolet range). Thus, the embodimentof the lens suitable for baseball players in the outfield and baseballplayer in the infield can reduce the amount of ultraviolet lightincident on the player's eyes thereby providing safety and healthbenefits.

Comparing the effective absorbance profiles of the implementations ofoptical filters configured for use by baseball players in the outfieldand baseball players in the infield, it is noted that the optical filterimplementation configured for use by baseball players in the infieldabsorb wavelengths around 475 nm (e.g., blue light) to a greater extentas compared to the optical filter implementations configured for use bybaseball players in the outfield and absorb wavelengths around 575 nm(e.g., greenish-yellow light) to a lesser extent as compared to theoptical filter implementations configured for use by baseball players inthe outfield.

The attenuation factor of the absorbance peaks in the blue spectralregion (e.g., between 440 nm and 490 nm) and red spectral region (e.g.,between 620 nm and 670 nm) can be greater than or equal to about 0.8 andless than 1 in various implementations of optical filters configured foruse by baseball players in the outfield and/or infield. Without any lossof generality, the attenuation factor of an absorbance peak can beobtained by dividing an integrated absorptance peak area within thespectral bandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of the absorbance peak.

As discussed above, the peaks in the effective absorbance profilecorresponds to notches in the effective transmittance profile. Thepresence of notches in the effective transmittance profile createsdistinct pass-bands. Wavelengths in each of the distinct pass-bands aretransmitted with lower attenuation than wavelengths in the notches. Inthe illustrated transmission spectra in FIG. 32A, the effectivetransmittance profile of the optical filter implementations in anembodiment of the lens suitable for outfield players has a firstpass-band configured to transmit between about 1% to about 40% of lightin the violet-blue spectral ranges (e.g., between about 410 nm and about460 nm); a second pass-band configured to transmit between about 1% andabout 20% of the light in the green-yellow spectral ranges (e.g.,between about 500 nm and about 560 nm); and a third pass-band configuredto transmit between about 5% and about 40% of the light in theorange-red spectral ranges (e.g., between about 590 nm and about 640nm).

In the illustrated transmittance profile in FIG. 33A, the effectivetransmittance profile of the optical filter implementations in anembodiment of the lens suitable for infield players (represented bydashed line) has a first pass-band configured to transmit between about1% to about 30% of light in the violet-blue spectral ranges (e.g.,between about 410 nm and about 460 nm); a second pass-band configured totransmit between about 1% and about 20% of the light in the green-yellowspectral ranges (e.g., between about 500 nm and about 560 nm); and athird pass-band configured to transmit between about 5% and about 30% ofthe light in the orange-red spectral ranges (e.g., between about 590 nmand about 640 nm).

Comparing the embodiments of the lenses for outfield players and infieldplayers, it is noted that embodiments of lenses for outfield players areconfigured to transmit more light in the violet-blue spectral range andthe orange-red spectral range as compared to embodiments of lenses forinfield players. It is also noted that embodiments of lenses foroutfield players are configured to transmit less light in thegreen-yellow spectral range as compared to embodiments of lenses forinfield players.

It is further observed from FIGS. 32A and 33A, that the second pass-bandfor embodiments of lenses for outfield and infield players has asubstantially flat-top such that substantially all the wavelengths inthe second pass-band are transmitted with almost equal intensity. Incontrast, the first and third pass-bands for embodiments of lenses foroutfield and infield players have a bell-shaped profile. It is observedfrom FIG. 32A that the FWHM of the first pass-band for embodiments oflenses for outfield players is about 30 nm around a central wavelengthof about 420 nm; the FWHM of the second pass-band for embodiments oflenses for outfield players is about 60-90 nm around a centralwavelength of about 530 nm; and the FWHM of the third pass-band forembodiments of lenses for outfield players is about 40 nm around acentral wavelength of about 620 nm. It is further observed from FIG. 33Bthat the FWHM of the first pass-band for embodiments of lenses forinfield players is about 25-35 nm around a central wavelength of about420 nm; the FWHM of the second pass-band for embodiments of lenses forinfield players is about 60-90 nm around a central wavelength of about540 nm; and the FW90M of the third pass-band for embodiments of lensesfor infield players is about 20 nm around a central wavelength of about620 nm.

It is also observed from FIGS. 32A and 33A that the effectivetransmittance profile for embodiments of lenses for outfield and infieldplayers can transmit between about 80% and about 90% of light in thewavelength range between about 680 nm and about 790 nm.

FIG. 32C illustrates effective relative absorbance profile for animplementation of an optical filter that can be included in anembodiment of a lens that is suitable for players in the outfield. FIG.33C illustrates effective relative absorbance profile for animplementation of an optical filter that can be included in anembodiment of a lens that is suitable for players in the infield. Asdiscussed above, the relative absorbance profile is obtained by plottingthe term −log₁₀(% T_(λ)/τ_(v)) with respect to the wavelength (λ). Thefactor % T_(λ) represents the percentage of light transmitted throughthe one or more filters at a wavelength X and the factor τ_(v)represents luminous transmittance as determined according to a techniquedefined in section 5.6.1 the ANSI Z80.3-2009 specification fornonprescription sunglass and fashion eyewear requirements. It isobserved from FIGS. 32C and 33C that each of the relative absorbanceprofile has a similar profile as the corresponding absorbance profiledepicted in FIGS. 32B and 33B. As discussed above, in variousembodiments the one or more filters can also be configured to providetint or chromaticity (e.g., grey, brown, amber, yellow, etc.) to thelens embodiments that are suitable for infield and/or outfield players.

Curve 3602 of FIG. 36A shows a percentage difference in chroma betweenthe output of the optical filter suitable for players in the outfieldand having spectral characteristics as shown in FIGS. 32A-32C and theoutput of a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates the same averagepercentage of light within each stimulus band as the optical filterhaving spectral characteristics as shown in FIGS. 32A-32C, wherein theinput is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulus and the horizontal axisindicates the center wavelength of each stimulus band. Using theinformation provided in curve 3602 it was calculated that lens suitablefor suitable for outdoor activities can provide an average chromaincrease of about 24% in the spectral bandwidth between 440 nm and 480nm as compared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates the sameaverage percentage of light as the optical filter within the spectralrange of 440 nm to 480 nm.

Curve 3603 of FIG. 36A shows a percentage difference in chroma betweenthe output of the optical filter suitable for players in the infield andhaving spectral characteristics as shown in FIGS. 33A-33C and the outputof a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates the same averagepercentage of light within each stimulus band as the optical filterhaving spectral characteristics as shown in FIGS. 33A-33C, wherein theinput is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulus and the horizontal axisindicates the center wavelength of each stimulus band. Using theinformation provided in curve 3602 it was calculated that lens suitablefor suitable for outdoor activities can provide an average chromaincrease of about 28% in the spectral bandwidth between 440 nm and 480nm as compared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates the sameaverage percentage of light as the optical filter within the spectralrange of 440 nm to 480 nm.

Various embodiments of lenses including one or more filters that providecolor enhancement for baseball players in the outfield/infield asdescribed above can include polarization wafers, polarization films orlayers such that they are polarized to reduce glare. Various embodimentsof lenses including the one or more filters that provide colorenhancement for baseball players in the outfield/infield as describedabove can include dielectric stacks, multilayer interference coatings,rare earth oxide additives, organic dyes, or a combination of multiplepolarization filters as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,902, the entirecontents of which are incorporated by reference herein and made a partof this specification for cosmetic purposes and/or to darken variousembodiments of the lenses. Some embodiments of interference coatings aresold by Oakley, Inc. of Foothill Ranch, Calif., U.S.A. under the brandname Iridium®. Various embodiments of lenses including the one or morefilters that provide color enhancement for baseball players in theoutfield/infield as described can also be configured to provideprescription optical power in the range of about ±25 Diopters and/oroptical magnification as discussed above.

C. Filters to Provide Color Enhancement for Golf

Viewing a golf ball's trajectory and determining its location areimportant to golfers of various skill levels. Trajectories of a golfball hit by an inexperienced golfer are unpredictable and frequentlyplace the ball in locations in which the ball is hard to find. Suchfailures to promptly find a golf ball can increase the time used to playa round and can reduce the number of rounds that can be played on acourse in a day. Because time spent looking for errant golf ballscontributes to slow play, many courses and many tournaments have rulesconcerning how long a golfer is permitted to search for a lost golf ballbefore putting a replacement ball into play. For more experienced orexpert golfers, loss of a golf ball results in imposition of a penaltythat adds strokes to the golfer's score. Such penalty strokes areannoying, especially when the loss of a ball results from an inabilityto find the ball due to poor viewing conditions and a limited time inwhich to search. Moreover, the ability to visually discern varioustextures, tones and topography of the grass can be important to enhancea golfer's game. Accordingly, embodiments of lenses includingchroma-enhancing optical filters that enhance a golfers ability to seethe golf ball against the grass and see other obstacles and markers onthe golf course are advantageous.

Various embodiments of lenses used for golf preferably reduce glare(e.g., glare resulting from sunlight on a bright sunny day). Reducingglare can advantageously increase the ability of seeing the fairway, thehole and the ball thus allowing a golfer to play to the best of his/herability. Accordingly, various embodiments of lenses used for golf caninclude wafers, coatings, layers or films that reduce glare. The glarereducing wafers, coatings, layers or films can include polarizingwafers, polarizing films and/or coatings to filter out polarized light,holographic or diffractive elements that are configured to reduce glareand/or diffusing elements. Additionally, it would be advantageous forvarious embodiments of lenses used for golf to include lens componentsincluding optical filters with one or more chroma enhancing dyes (e.g.,CE wafer) that make trees, sky and other objects (e.g., flags, waterfeatures, tree roots, etc.) stand-out from the green grass to aid thegolfer to guide the golf ball to a desired location. Making trees, skyand other objects stand-out from the green grass can also enhance aplayers golfing experience.

Various embodiments of lenses suitable for golfing can include lenscomponents including implementations of optical filters with one or morechroma enhancing dyes (e.g., CE wafer) that transmit different colors inthe visible spectral range with different values to create differentviewing conditions. For example, some embodiments of lenses for golfingcan transmit all colors of the visible spectrum such that there islittle distortion on bright sunny days. As another example, someembodiments of lenses for golfing can transmit colors in the yellow andred spectral ranges and attenuate and/or absorb colors in the blue andgreen spectral ranges. Various embodiments of lenses used for golfingcan also be tinted (e.g., grey, green, amber, brown or yellow) toincrease contrast between the grass and the sky, reduce eye strainand/or for aesthetic purpose.

FIGS. 34A-34C illustrate the effective spectral response of an opticalfilter implementation that can be included in an embodiment of a lensthat is suitable for golfing. FIG. 34B illustrates the effectiveabsorbance profile of the optical filter implementation that can beincluded in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for golfing. FIGS.34A and 34C show the effective transmittance profile and the relativeabsorbance profile of the same optical filter implementation.

Referring to FIG. 34B, it is observed that the effective absorbanceprofile for the one or more lenses included in an embodiment of a lensthat is suitable for golfing has a first peak between 460 nm and 490 nm,a second peak between 560 nm and 590 nm; and a third peak between 640 nmand 680 nm. The effective absorbance profile for the one or more lensesincluded in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for golfing has afirst “valley” in the wavelength range between about 410 nm and about460 nm; a second “valley” in the wavelength range between about 500 nmand about 560 nm; and a third “valley” in the wavelength range betweenabout 600 nm and about 640 nm. Wavelengths in the first, second andthird valleys have reduced absorbance as compared to the wavelengths inthe vicinity of the first and second peaks. The valleys in theabsorbance profile correspond to the pass-bands in the transmittanceprofile. It is noted from FIG. 34B that the first peak has a FWHM ofabout 15-25 nm around a central wavelength of about 475 nm, the secondpeak has a FW80M of about 10-20 nm around a central wavelength of about575 nm and the third peak has a FW80M of about 15-20 nm around a centralwavelength of about 660 nm.

It is observed from FIG. 34B that (i) the value of the optical densityfor wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nm is about300-400% higher as compared to the average value of the optical densityfor wavelengths in the first valley; and (ii) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nmis about 300% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the second valley. Thus, wavelengths in thevicinity of the first peak around 475 nm are attenuated by about300-400% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinity of the firstvalley and by about 300% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the second valley.

It is further observed from FIG. 34B that (i) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 575 nmis about 100% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the second valley; and (ii) the value of theoptical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peakaround 575 nm is about 500% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 575 nm areattenuated by about 100% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the second valley and by about 500% more as compared to wavelengthsin the vicinity of the third valley.

It is further observed from FIG. 34B that (i) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the third peak around 660 nmis about 100% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus, wavelengths in thevicinity of the third peak around 660 nm are attenuated by about 100%more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinity of the third valley.

In various embodiments of lenses the implementation of an optical filterconfigured for use for golfing can be adapted to attenuate light havingwavelengths less than 400 nm thereby providing safety and healthbenefits. Furthermore, the attenuation factor of the absorbance peaks inthe blue spectral range (e.g., between about 450 nm and about 490 nm)and green spectral range (e.g., between about 550 nm and about 590 nm)can be greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than 1 in variousimplementations of optical filters adapted for golfing. Additionally,the attenuation factor of the absorbance peaks in the red spectral range(e.g., between about 620 nm and about 660 nm) can be between about 0.5and about 0.8 in various implementations of optical filters adapted forgolfing. Without any loss of generality, the attenuation factor of anabsorbance peak can be obtained by dividing an integrated absorptancepeak area within the spectral bandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of theabsorbance peak.

In the illustrated transmittance profile in FIG. 34A, the effectivetransmittance profile of the optical filter implementation has a firstpass-band configured to transmit between about 1% to about 50% of lightin the violet-blue spectral ranges (e.g., between about 405 nm and about470 nm); a second pass-band configured to transmit between about 1% andabout 30% of the light in the green-yellow spectral ranges (e.g.,between about 490 nm and about 570 nm); and a third pass-band configuredto transmit between about 10% and about 75% of the light in theorange-red spectral ranges (e.g., between about 580 nm and about 660nm).

It is further observed from FIG. 34A that the second pass-band for anembodiment of a lens suitable for golfing has a plateau shaped regionbetween about 490 nm and about 530 nm such that substantially all thewavelengths in the wavelength range between about 490 nm and about 530nm are transmitted with almost equal intensity. In contrast, the firstand third pass-bands for an embodiment of a lens for golfing have abell-shaped profile. It is observed from FIG. 34A that the FWHM of thefirst pass-band for an embodiment of a lens for golfing is about 35 nmaround a central wavelength of about 425 nm; and the FWHM of the thirdpass-band for embodiments of lenses for an embodiment of a lens forgolfing is about 50-60 nm around a central wavelength of about 625 nm.

It is also observed from FIG. 34A that the effective transmittanceprofile for an embodiment of a lens suitable for golfing can transmitbetween about 80% and about 90% of light in the wavelength range betweenabout 680 nm and about 790 nm.

FIG. 34C illustrates the effective relative absorbance profile of anembodiment of a lens including an optical filter implementation that canbe suitable for golfing. The relative absorbance profile is obtained byplotting the term −log₁₀(% T_(λ)/τ_(v)) with respect to the wavelength(λ). The factor % T_(λ) represents the percentage of light transmittedthrough the one or more filters at a wavelength λ and the factor τ_(v)represents luminous transmittance as determined according to a techniquedefined in section 5.6.1 the ANSI Z80.3-2009 specification fornonprescription sunglass and fashion eyewear requirements. It isobserved that the relative absorption has a similar profile as theabsorbance profile depicted in FIG. 34B. In various embodiments theoptical filter implementations can also be configured to provide a tintor chromaticity (e.g., orange, red, pink, brown, amber, yellow, etc.) tothe lens embodiments that are suitable for golfing.

Curve 3604 of FIG. 36B shows a percentage difference in chroma betweenthe output of the optical filter having spectral characteristics asshown in FIGS. 34A-34C and the output of a neutral filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light within each stimulusband as the optical filter having spectral characteristics as shown inFIGS. 34A-34C, wherein the input is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulusand the horizontal axis indicates the center wavelength of each stimulusband. Using the information provided in curve 3604 it was calculatedthat lens suitable for suitable for golfing can provide an averagechroma increase of about 22% in the spectral bandwidth between 440 nmand 480 nm as compared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates thesame average percentage of light as the optical filter within thespectral range of 440 nm to 480 nm.

Various embodiments of lenses including one or more filters that providecolor enhancement for golfing as described above can includepolarization wafers, polarization films or layers such that they arepolarized to reduce glare. Various embodiments of lenses including theone or more filters that provide color enhancement for golfing asdescribed above can include dielectric stacks, multilayer interferencecoatings, rare earth oxide additives, organic dyes, or a combination ofmultiple polarization filters as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,902,the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein andmade a part of this specification for cosmetic purposes and/or to darkenvarious embodiments of the lenses. Some embodiments of interferencecoatings are sold by Oakley, Inc. of Foothill Ranch, Calif., U.S.A.under the brand name Iridium®. Various embodiments of lenses includingthe one or more filters that provide color enhancement for golfing asdescribed can also be configured to provide prescription optical powerin the range of about ±25 Diopters and/or optical magnification asdiscussed above.

D. Filters to Provide Color Enhancement for Driving

Various embodiments of lenses used for driving preferably reduce glare(e.g., glare resulting from sunlight on a bright sunny day, glareresulting from light reflected from the road, glare resulting fromheadlights of cars in the oncoming traffic, etc.). Reducing glare canadvantageously increase the ability of the driver to see the road andthe surroundings clearly and increase driver and passenger safety.Accordingly, various embodiments of lenses used for driving can includewafers, coatings, layers or films that reduce glare. The glare reducingwafers, coatings, layers or films can include polarizing wafers,polarizing films and/or coatings to filter out polarized light,holographic or diffractive elements that are configured to reduce glareand/or diffusing elements. Various embodiments of lenses suitable fordriving can include lens components including optical filters with oneor more chroma enhancing dyes (e.g., CE wafer) that transmit differentcolors in the visible spectral range with different values to createdifferent viewing conditions. For example, some embodiments of lensessuitable for driving can transmit all colors of the visible spectrumsuch that there is little distortion on bright sunny days. As anotherexample, some embodiments of lenses suitable for driving can transmitcolors in the yellow and red spectral ranges and attenuate and/or absorbcolors in the blue and green spectral ranges. Various embodiments oflenses used for shooting can also be tinted (e.g., grey, green, amber,brown or yellow) to increase contrast between the road and thesurrounding, reduce eye strain and/or for aesthetic purpose.

FIGS. 35A-35C illustrate the effective spectral response ofimplementations of optical filters that can be included in variousembodiments of lenses suitable for driving. FIG. 35B illustrates theeffective absorbance profile of the optical filter implementation thatcan be included in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for driving.FIGS. 35A and 35C show the effective transmittance profile and therelative absorbance profile of the same optical filter implementation.

Referring to FIG. 35B, it is observed that the effective absorbanceprofile for the one or more lenses included in an embodiment of a lensthat is suitable for driving has a first peak between 460 nm and 490 nm,a second peak between 560 nm and 590 nm; and a third peak between 640 nmand 680 nm. The effective absorbance profile for the one or more lensesincluded in an embodiment of a lens that is suitable for driving has afirst “valley” in the wavelength range between about 410 nm and about460 nm; a second “valley” in the wavelength range between about 500 nmand about 560 nm; and a third “valley” in the wavelength range betweenabout 600 nm and about 640 nm. Wavelengths in the first, second andthird valleys have reduced absorbance as compared to the wavelengths inthe vicinity of the first and second peaks. The valleys in theabsorbance profile correspond to the pass-bands in the transmittanceprofile. It is noted from FIG. 35B that the first peak has a FW80M ofabout 10-20 nm around a central wavelength of about 475 nm, the secondpeak has a FW80M of about 10-20 nm around a central wavelength of about575 nm and the third peak has a FW80M of about 10-20 nm around a centralwavelength of about 660 nm.

It is observed from FIG. 35B that (i) the value of the optical densityfor wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nm is about140% higher as compared to the average value of the optical density forwavelengths in the first valley; and (ii) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the first peak around 475 nmis about 60% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the second valley. Thus, wavelengths in thevicinity of the first peak around 475 nm are attenuated by about 140%more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinity of the first valley andby about 60% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinity of thesecond valley.

It is further observed from FIG. 35B that (i) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 575 nmis about 100% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the second valley; and (ii) the value of theoptical density for wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peakaround 575 nm is about 200% higher as compared to the average value ofthe optical density for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus,wavelengths in the vicinity of the second peak around 575 nm areattenuated by about 100% more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinityof the second valley and by about 200% more as compared to wavelengthsin the vicinity of the third valley.

It is further observed from FIG. 35B that (i) the value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the vicinity of the third peak around 660 nmis about 250% higher as compared to the average value of the opticaldensity for wavelengths in the third valley. Thus, wavelengths in thevicinity of the third peak around 660 nm are attenuated by about 250%more as compared to wavelengths in the vicinity of the third valley.

In various embodiments of lenses the implementation of an optical filterconfigured for use for driving can be adapted to attenuate light havingwavelengths less than 400 nm thereby providing safety and healthbenefits. Furthermore, the attenuation factor of the absorbance peaks inthe blue spectral range (e.g., between about 450 nm and about 490 nm)and green spectral range (e.g., between about 550 nm and about 590 nm)can be greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than 1 in variousimplementations of optical filters adapted for driving. Additionally,the attenuation factor of the absorbance peaks in the red spectral range(e.g., between about 620 nm and about 660 nm) can also be between about0.8 and about 1.0 in various implementations of optical filters adaptedfor driving. Without any loss of generality, the attenuation factor ofan absorbance peak can be obtained by dividing an integrated absorptancepeak area within the spectral bandwidth by the spectral bandwidth of theabsorbance peak.

In the illustrated transmittance profile in FIG. 35A, the effectivetransmittance profile of the optical filter implementation has a firstpass-band configured to transmit between about 1% to about 30% of lightin the violet-blue spectral ranges (e.g., between about 405 nm and about470 nm); a second pass-band configured to transmit between about 5% andabout 20% of the light in the green-yellow spectral ranges (e.g.,between about 490 nm and about 570 nm); and a third pass-band configuredto transmit between about 10% and about 40% of the light in theorange-red spectral ranges (e.g., between about 580 nm and about 660nm).

It is further observed from FIG. 35A that the second pass-band for anembodiment of a lens suitable for driving has a plateau shaped regionbetween about 490 nm and about 530 nm such that substantially all thewavelengths in the wavelength range between about 490 nm and about 530nm are transmitted with almost equal intensity. In contrast, the firstand third pass-bands for an embodiment of a lens for driving have abell-shaped profile. It is observed from FIG. 35A that the FWHM of thefirst pass-band for an embodiment of a lens for driving is about 35 nmaround a central wavelength of about 425 nm; and the FWHM of the thirdpass-band for embodiments of lenses for an embodiment of a lens fordriving is about 25-40 nm around a central wavelength of about 645 nm.

It is also observed from FIG. 35A that the effective transmittanceprofile for an embodiment of a lens suitable for driving can transmitbetween about 80% and about 90% of light in the wavelength range betweenabout 680 nm and about 790 nm.

FIG. 35C illustrates the effective relative absorbance profile of anembodiment of a lens including an optical filter implementation that canbe suitable for driving. The relative absorbance profile is obtained byplotting the term −log₁₀(% T_(λ)/τ_(v)) with respect to the wavelength(λ). The factor % T_(λ) represents the percentage of light transmittedthrough the one or more filters at a wavelength λ and the factor τ_(v)represents luminous transmittance as determined according to a techniquedefined in section 5.6.1 the ANSI Z80.3-2009 specification fornonprescription sunglass and fashion eyewear requirements. It isobserved that the relative absorption has a similar profile as theabsorbance profile depicted in FIG. 35B.

Curve 3605 of FIG. 36B shows a percentage difference in chroma betweenthe output of the optical filter having spectral characteristics asshown in FIGS. 35A-35C and the output of a neutral filter that uniformlyattenuates the same average percentage of light within each stimulusband as the optical filter having spectral characteristics as shown inFIGS. 35A-35C, wherein the input is a 30 nm uniform intensity stimulusand the horizontal axis indicates the center wavelength of each stimulusband. Using the information provided in curve 3605 it was calculatedthat lens suitable for suitable for driving can provide an averagechroma increase of about 11% in the spectral bandwidth between 440 nmand 480 nm as compared to a neutral filter that uniformly attenuates thesame average percentage of light as the optical filter within thespectral range of 440 nm to 480 nm.

Various embodiments of lenses including one or more filters that providecolor enhancement for driving as described above can includepolarization wafers, polarization films or layers such that they arepolarized to reduce glare. Various embodiments of lenses including theone or more filters that provide color enhancement for driving asdescribed above can include dielectric stacks, multilayer interferencecoatings, rare earth oxide additives, organic dyes, or a combination ofmultiple polarization filters as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,902,the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein andmade a part of this specification for cosmetic purposes and/or to darkenvarious embodiments of the lenses. Some embodiments of interferencecoatings are sold by Oakley, Inc. of Foothill Ranch, Calif., U.S.A.under the brand name Iridium®. Various embodiments of lenses includingthe one or more filters that provide color enhancement for driving asdescribed can also be configured to provide prescription optical powerin the range of about ±25 Diopters and/or optical magnification asdiscussed above.

It is contemplated that the particular features, structures, orcharacteristics of any embodiments discussed herein can be combined inany suitable manner in one or more separate embodiments not expresslyillustrated or described. In many cases, structures that are describedor illustrated as unitary or contiguous can be separated while stillperforming the function(s) of the unitary structure. In many instances,structures that are described or illustrated as separate can be joinedor combined while still performing the function(s) of the separatedstructures.

It should be appreciated that in the above description of embodiments,various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment,figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the variousinventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to beinterpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require morefeatures than are expressly recited in that claim. Moreover, anycomponents, features, or steps illustrated and/or described in aparticular embodiment herein can be applied to or used with any otherembodiment(s). Thus, it is intended that the scope of the inventionsherein disclosed should not be limited by the particular embodimentsdescribed above, but should be determined by a fair reading of theclaims that follow.

The following is claimed:
 1. Eyewear comprising: a lens comprising: abase layer having a front surface and a rear surface; and an opticalelement disposed on the front surface of the base layer, the opticalelement comprising: a first layer comprising a first polymeric material;a second layer comprising a second polymeric material; and a functionallayer between the first and the second layers, wherein the first or thesecond layer at least partially comprises an optical filter comprisingone or more chroma enhancement dyes, the optical filter configured toincrease an average chroma value of a uniform intensity light stimulihaving a bandwidth of 30 nm within a visible spectral range transmittedthrough the optical element compared to a neutral filter that uniformlyattenuates an equal average percentage of light as the optical filterwithin the visible spectral range.
 2. The eyewear of claim 1, whereinthe optical filter wafer has a blue light absorbance peak comprising: aspectral bandwidth; a maximum absorbance; a center wavelength located ata midpoint of the spectral bandwidth; and an integrated absorptance peakarea within the spectral bandwidth; wherein the spectral bandwidth isequal to a full width of the blue light absorbance peak at 80% of themaximum absorbance of the blue light absorbance peak; wherein the centerwavelength of the blue light absorbance peak is between 440 nm and 510nm; and wherein an attenuation factor of the blue light absorbance peakis greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than 1.0, the attenuationfactor of the blue light absorbance peak obtained by dividing theintegrated absorptance peak area within the spectral bandwidth by thespectral bandwidth of the blue light absorbance peak.
 3. The eyewear ofclaim 1, wherein the functional layer comprises a polarizer.
 4. Theeyewear of claim 1, wherein the functional layer comprises polyvinylalcohol (PVA).
 5. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the functional layerhas a concave rear surface facing the first layer and a convex frontsurface facing the second layer.
 6. The eyewear of claim 5, wherein thefirst layer at least partially comprises the optical filter.
 7. Theeyewear of claim 5, wherein the second layer at least partiallycomprises the optical filter.
 8. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein thebase layer has non-zero cylindrical optical power, negative opticalpower or positive optical power.
 9. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein thefront surface of the base layer is convex.
 10. A method of manufacturinga lens, the method comprising: forming a functional wafer comprising afunctional layer disposed between a first polymeric layer and a secondpolymeric layer, the first or the second polymeric layer comprising anoptical filter; placing the functional wafer into a cavity of a mold;and forming a lens base by integrating a lens material onto a surface ofthe functional wafer while the functional wafer is within the cavity ofthe mold.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the functional layercomprises a polarizer.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein thefunctional wafer comprises polyvinyl alcohol.
 13. The method of claim10, wherein the optical filter comprises one or more chroma enhancementdyes.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the surface of the functionalwafer on which the lens base is formed is concave.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the lens base has a convex surface facing the concavesurface of the functional wafer.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein thelens base has cylindrical optical power, negative optical power, orpositive optical power.
 17. The method of claim 10, wherein thefunctional layer has a concave surface facing the first polymeric layerand a convex surface facing the second polymeric layer.
 18. The methodof claim 10, wherein the first polymeric layer comprises the opticalfilter.
 19. The method of claim 10, wherein the second polymeric layercomprises the optical filter.
 20. The method of claim 10, wherein thefunctional layer is configured to be removable from the first or thesecond polymeric layer.